A Saint is a Sinner Who Loves

“A Saint is a Sinner Who Loves; It’s that Simple.

Catherine Doherty

Right now, I’m in the midst of a little Advent Retreat, but I wanted to share this quote I came across in my reading this past week. It is not to be misunderstood as some sort of license to keep on sinning — but rather, it is meant to be encouragement to never give up trying to LOVE with all that is in you.

It is in loving others, that we can become better than we once were. It is loving that our cold hearts of stone can be melted and molded into the beautiful, life-giving hearts that they were meant to be.

So never give up, no matter how far from your goal of “saint” may be. Maybe “saint” isn’t even one of your goals, but it should be, because to be a saint is to be wholly the amazing person God created you to be.

God knew what your struggles would be. He knew your shortcomings and wounds, but He also instilled into your heart gifts and talents and the ability to love and to sacrifice for others in a way that is irreplaceable for the world.

In fact, we are most who we were created to be when we LOVE, really love another. That love begins with LOVE ITSELF — with the Creator of the Universe Who first loved you into existence and created you for a beautiful purpose.

So I hope this Advent you take the time to listen to God and hear what He is trying to speak to your heart. I hope you open your heart up to the healing we can only receive in confession and then steep yourself in HIS WORD, so that you will know exactly WHY God created you and what beautiful purpose He built into your very being.

Happy Advent, week one. Don’t give up the fight to become better, to love more deeply and to let God’s grace change your heart in beautiful and life-changing ways!