04/29/2023 – Chapter 25 Fellowship: “Objection: I can’t be a Saint”
Kreeft presents what I expect is our common objection with the following hypothetical dialogue between teacher and student:
“But I can’t do this stuff. Especially the stuff about accepting sufferings and failures.
Why not?
Because I’m not a saint. Saints can do this stuff, I can’t
You have it backward: saints don’t do this stuff because they’re saints; they became saints because they did this stuff.”
… (dialogue that focuses on just taking that first inch of the million-mile journey)
Teacher: “Suppose you believed what you said: that you couldn’t be a saint, ever. Do you see the consequences of that? Do you see what logically follow from that?
What do you mean?
That your failures have no meaning. That you have no hope.
Oh.
And that God made a mistake when He created you and called you to become a saint.
Oops.
Good Short Act of Contribution!
But…
You do have a big butt. (insert: brought up earlier by student haha). Can we move it now instead of sitting on it.
So you’re asking me to do high jumps with this big butt of mine?
Not at all. Notice I did not even mention contemplative prayer (yet) or heroic sacrifices.
Good. Because I’m not the next Mother Teresa.
God does not expect you to move to Calcutta.
What are you — what is He asking of me, then?
Merely to do what you are already doing: your ordinary daily duties, for God’s sake.
Oh.
So to that topic let us now turn.”
Insert – from there we’ll get together on chapter 26: “Duties” – Next week….
Thank you again Peter Kreeft, the messenger…
Soli Deo Gloria!