Do saints know of their sainthood?

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Francisco_Fernando

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I wonder if saints, when they’re alive, know of their sainthood? I wonder if that was their goal in the first place or not. Or if they’re too humble to think that.
 
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Francisco_Fernando said:
Or if they’re too humble to think that.
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The first thought that comes to mind is that the moment you say, I am humble, you’ve completely lost the very definition. Pursuing sainthood is an ideal for all of us, merely by following the example of Jesus. But if we ever begin to feel we’ve got it, it’s time to start over.
 
Re-asses our values and learn, again, that humility is a goal never attained in fullness. One can say that the opposite of humility is arrogance and hubris. The human psyche is more than full enough of these things. It takes a lifetime to overcome them and, as I mentioned, the very minute we think we’ve done it we’ve actually fallen off the cliff and must start again. It is a process never complete in this lifetime. Those whom we deem today as saints most likely never thought of themselves as saintly, which is what made them what they became. I hope that explains it better. 🙂
 
I was reading only last night in Duffy’s Newman a quote from St. John Henry Newman, “I have no tendency to be a saint - it is a sad thing to say”

I think humility is one of the things that makes saints saintly, but they aspired to be saints, same as we should.
 
From the Fathers of the Desert;

Abba Sisoes ca. 4th-5th cent.

It was said of Abba Sisoes that when he was at the point of death, while the Fathers were sitting beside him, his face shone like the sun. He said to them, ‘Look, Abba Anthony is coming.’ A little later he said, ‘Look, the choir of prophets is coming.’ Again his countenance shone with brightness and he said, ‘Look, the choir of apostles is coming.’ His countenance increased in brightness and lo, he spoke with someone. Then the old men ask him, ‘With whom are you speaking, Father?’ He said, ‘Look, the angels are coming to fetch me, and I am begging them to let me do a little penance.’ The old man said to him, ‘You have no need to do penance, Father.’ But the old man said to him, ‘Truly, I do not think I have even made a beginning yet.’ Now they all knew that he was perfect. Once more his countenance suddenly became like the sun and they were all filled with fear. He said to them, ‘Look, the Lord is coming and He’s saying, “Bring me the vessel from the desert.”’ Then there was as a flash of lightning and all the house was filled with a sweet odour. (The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: Sisoes, Saying 14)

https://classicalchristianity.com/category/bysaint/abba-sisoes-ca-4th-5th-cent/
 
St. Therese of Lisieux remarked to her sisters that they were looking at a saint–herself. She knew. And heaven was promised to a number of saints. In all such saints, humility was paramount, so it had nothing to do with arrogance. They knew they didn’t “deserve” it but were given sanctity by God’s grace.
 
I doubt they know that they have become saints, theyd be preserved from that in order to remain humble. Though it depends on the root sin of the person, if it’s not pride then why not.

Everyone should have the goal of being a saint (going to heaven) it is what we all work for the point of life,the battle we all fight each day…why Christ died for our sins…so yes of course it was their goal.
 
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Well, since we all confess in the Nicean Creed that we expect to be resurrected and live eternally it seems like a reasonable thing to believe about ourselves, otherwise we would be lying in our Creed.

The point of humility is not to think that we are terrible and pathetic people, but rather to recognize how great and good God is. I’m sure the Saints who lived and did amazing things like resurrecting the dead or healed the sick and lived in the Unitive Way expected to go to Heaven. This is not the same as being presumptuous or proud, because they knew that their Sainthood is entirely a gift from God and undeserved no matter how good of a person someone is.

To paraphrase Chesterton: Humility just means to stop focusing on yourself and keep your eyes on what lies straight ahead.
 
As Limoncello said, with Saint Therese of Lisieux I learned that it’s not wrong to look forward to be a Saint, or to trust God that He will make you one.
 
Limoncello4021 said:
St. Therese of Lisieux remarked to her sisters that they were looking at a saint–herself. She knew. And heaven was promised to a number of saints. In all such saints, humility was paramount, so it had nothing to do with arrogance. They knew they didn’t “deserve” it but were given sanctity by God’s grace.
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One can certainly discern by the increasing lack of sin in their lives over a long period of time, that God is giving them the graces to remain faithful. It is an occasion to give him great praise for having helped them attain this degree of sanctity. It is truly His handiwork for His honor and glory, thus keeping them in humility.

I don’t believe such souls think they will be canonized 😄 but they realize they are dear to God and walk in His ways.
 
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One great aspect of the Saints is their profound humility. Anyone who thinks they are a Saint is most likely not. Humility overcomes pride.
 
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