How to Make a Saint
One key ingredient according to St. Josemaria
“ To begin is for everyone. To persevere is for the saints. May your perseverance not be of blind consequence of the first impulse, the effect of inertia; may it be reflective perseverance.”
-St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, #983
Perseverance.
I don't know why it took so long for me to really think about this word, but these words from St. Josemaria resonate with me in this season of my life.
It's so easy to start something, but to see an action through isn't so easy. This rings especially true for me. When times were difficult in a creative pursuit I had the great idea of starting, there was always a small part of me that thought, “do I really need to be doing this?”
Four out of five times the answer to that question would be a no, so I'd find a way out.
Happy days.
But there are many other difficult times in life outside of my creative pursuits that were difficult just by its very nature.
I've worked in toxic workplaces.
I live paycheck to paycheck.
I’m always straddling the line of obesity.
There's no easy way out to some of these. There's no cop out. No magic reasoning to make these problems disappear.
This is where Saint Jose Maria's “reflective perseverance” jumps into play.
As the name suggests, it's going to take some thinking—most definitely some thinking with the Lord. The only way you'll get out of these situations is by asking the Master directly.
He's not going to give you the whole plan. You're overwhelmed as is. What he will give you though, is the next step. All you have to do is listen and take it. Trust that his plan will lead you into the promised land.
Trusting in the unknown is scary, but taking the next step with the Lord is exactly what perseverance is about.
Don't worry about the chaos and the noise that surrounds you either. Ask the Lord to filter out what He thinks is important, and do just that.
What's the alternative? Following your own plan? Isn't that what got you in a situation to begin with?!
God's plan for you is infinitely greater. Trust in him; be courageous and persevere!
We're all called to be saints and this is how they're made.
Persevere.