So I'm reading this very interesting book. Its called How to Become a Saint: A Beginner's Guide. I just happened on this book - new writer, never heard of him before - but boom ...maybe that's a sign from God .... "think about becoming Saint Gilbert".... got quite a ring to it hasn't it. Wouldn't it make for a neat business card or introduction "what is it you do?"... "I'm a saint!" I mean its bad enough now telling people what I do - they immediately confess some sins to me or apologise for missing church - or they stop telling the dirty jokes - but imagine if you had to say to people "I'm a saint". I think people would look at me and truly think that I was some sort of third gender. But before you tune out and wonder what this Scotsman has been smoking - maybe what the author of the book is trying to get us to see is that mere Christianity, what faith in Jesus Christ is truly about, is not some insurance policy against hell, nor some crutch to help us get by, nor is it some synthetic bumper sticker 'Jesus makes my life complete' nonsense - maybe authentic faith is about becoming something deeper, something more mystical, more sacred than we've imagined - it is about doing life with God, but a new kind of life, a new kind of way of living. Maybe its about an invitation to a deep and meaningful union with God. Maybe in our consumer, somewhat hollow culture, we are missing the core of what faith in Jesus Christ is - it is becoming a new kind of person. Maybe becoming a Christian is something deeper, something greater, something more mysterious than most people today imagine. But that's maybe why so many don't.
When you look around - does synthetic faith appeal? When you look at the formula's and the seeming results - anyone want that kind of Christianity?
But when you look at the Saints ...the one thing they all have is depth, character and their lives involved something bigger than themselves. The process of canonization may not be perfect but the one thing everyone can see when they look at who the Catholic Church decides to canonize is that they lived bigger than most.
And then I turn to the Bible and discover that the writers viewed all Christ followers as saints - and I get it. Faith in Christ should make my life bigger than it is. My life should be more. My life can be more. But that more is not sourced in ourselves or in stuff - that more is sourced in God and it produces a new kind of life - a holy life.
Maybe becoming a saint is not such a self-inflated ambition after all - maybe becoming a saint is saying ...I can live a better life but not on my own - but by faith in Jesus Christ. Maybe becoming a saint is a humble, self-denying life.
As the new book I'm reading says "this is what God wants - and what God wants from you - he makes possible."

So welcome to a blog that explores more how God has made possible a new kind of living - a new kind of life - something deeper, bigger, more than you've ever imagined. Minus the formula's, the rules and the rest of the junk out there.