You -- Follow Me

     Jesus said to Peter, “Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me” (Jn. 21 vs. 18b, 19b).

       Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved. When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me” (Jn. 21 vs. 20b, 21-22).

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     Don’t you just love St. Peter? We are so very much like him in his humanness! Jesus had just told him that life will not turn out quite the way he thought. Peter’s response is to ask, “What about him?” Jesus wastes no time in putting Peter in his place and redirects Peter’s attention back to himself.


     This is a monumental lesson for us and one that we need to embrace and live. God calls everyone to holiness and we need to believe that it’s not just the other guy. In fact, He not only calls us to holiness, but to become saints. “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt. 5 vs. 48).

     God has a plan for each one of us to achieve this goal and they vary as much as we do. We all have different gifts and talents given to us by God to bring about His designs. Like Peter, we can get distracted by what someone else is doing and not focus on what we ourselves should be doing. We can wonder why they have so many gifts and think, “what do I have to offer?” We believe they have it easier than us – are loved more than us – and get all the breaks! We feel like we’re just spinning our wheels in the mud of our humdrum life. We forget that we do have a task to fulfill – big or small – and that God is counting on us!

     Many saints and holy people who have gone before us have paved the road by their example of what God can accomplish through them, even with adversities and obstacles.

     St. Therese of Lisieux, a doctor of the Church, never finished school, entering the Carmelite Monastery at the age of 15. Although she had great aspirations to be all things for God, she never left the cloistered monastery and died at age 24. At the request of her sister Pauline, who was Prioress at Carmel, Therese was asked to write a memoir of her life. “Story of a Soul” became widely distributed after her death. She was canonized only 28 years later and has taught so many to grow in holiness with her “Little way.” During her lifetime, many were unaware that they were living with a saint and saw her as very ordinary.

     Fr. Solanus Casey, whose life is under investigation for sainthood, was a very holy and simple man. He was ordained a “simplex priest,” which meant he did not have the faculties to hear confessions or preach at Mass. He was assigned simple jobs: sacristan, director of altar servers and finally, doorkeeper at the monastery. He was known for his great humility, trust in God’s providence, and his attitude of gratitude. Over the years, his advice and prayers were sought out by a vast number of people, many claiming miraculous results. At his funeral, over 8,000 people attended.

     St. Catherine of Siena, a doctor of the Church, was uneducated. She was the 24th of 25 children and born in the middle of the fourteen century, a time of unrest and upheaval in the Church. She was a great mystic and received the stigmata. In time, Catherine would convince the Pope, who was living in Avignon, to return to Rome. She was a spiritual mother to many and loved and challenged them to holiness. She died at the age of 33, in 1380 and was canonized in 1461.

     Therese, Solanus, and Catherine, all had major obstacles in their lives that could have discouraged them from following their path to sanctity. They dealt with difficult personalities, personal failings and various temptations. They could have looked at all the other people who were smarter, more talented, or held an influential position, believing them to be better suited for the job, and fail to do what God was calling them to accomplish. They could have been disheartened by the obstacles that were placed in their way. Instead, their love for God and trust in His graces and gifts, kept them focused on the tasks set before them. Whether it was doing the laundry, serving their family, answering the door, challenging the Pope, they did it all for love of God. Their eyes were on the hands of their Master, as each task was set before them. They kept their focus on their souls and their own sanctity.

     We are called to do the same. Take each duty as it is presented; do it for love of God. As we are consistent in doing so, we will grow in grace and virtue. As we grow in grace and virtue, we will be less inclined to look to see “who’s doing what!” We will grow in contentment as we follow humbly in the footsteps of the saints who have blazed the trail to holiness.

     St. Peter, pray for us!