Read a Saint's diary?

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How human are they? They are all seem otherworldly. Which is the one you think is the most realistic? It is difficult to understand the ones who were martyrs, mystics, etc.
 
I think they are very human, but most of the saints diaries that I have read have been mystics. I think the thing is that when God gets into your boat in a big way, to use a metaphor that Fr. Barron has employed, he radically reconfigures a persons heart to be set on Him and satisfied with Him alone. This is strange to our worldly sensibilities, I must admit, but I want to be more like them. They were not super human, though, they had their short comings especially earlier in their lives. The autobiography of St Teresa of Avila is one book that comes to mind that speaks of how worldly she was in a number of ways before really getting steam rolled by Grace.
 
JamalChristophr said:
I think they are very human, but most of the saints diaries that I have read have been mystics. I think the thing is that when God gets into your boat in a big way, to use a metaphor that Fr. Barron has employed, he radically reconfigures a persons heart to be set on Him and satisfied with Him alone. This is strange to our worldly sensibilities, I must admit, but I want to be more like them. They were not super human, though, they had their short comings especially earlier in their lives. The autobiography of St Teresa of Avila is one book that comes to mind that speaks of how worldly she was in a number of ways before really getting steam rolled by Grace.
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In what ways was she worldly?
 
She had a tendency towards vanity, gossiping, being luke-warm, and neglecting prayer to name a few things that come to mind. This was before her conversion. There are a number of saints who led very sinful lives actually, but I’m not as well-versed on them. St Mary Magdalene for one, but there are lots others. Venerable Matt Talbot comes to mind as well. He was a hopeless drunk before his conversion.
 
Read up on the modern era saints. Once you learn about their lives, the lives of the saints from centuries ago will be easier to understand.
Franz Jeagerstaetter
Maximillion Kolbe
Katherine Drexel
Padre Pio
Blessed Miguel Pro

All heroes in their own way.
All models for us.
Peace.
 
JamalChristophr said:
I think they are very human, but most of the saints diaries that I have read have been mystics. I think the thing is that when God gets into your boat in a big way, to use a metaphor that Fr. Barron has employed, he radically reconfigures a persons heart to be set on Him and satisfied with Him alone. This is strange to our worldly sensibilities, I must admit, but I want to be more like them. They were not super human, though, they had their short comings especially earlier in their lives. The autobiography of St Teresa of Avila is one book that comes to mind that speaks of how worldly she was in a number of ways before really getting steam rolled by Grace.
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👍 What he said 😃

By definition, the Saints are otherworldly. You don’t get canonized by the Church by being just like everyone else in society, or by avoiding getting “too serious” about the faith. While they were ordinary people like us, they had an extraordinary response to God’s grace – a hold-nothing-back-God-is-my-ALL response in the ordinary moments of their lives.

God bless you!

Gertie
 
You might want to read The Letters and Diaries of John Henry Newman. He lived from 1801 to 1890 and there are his thoughts beginning when he was a young boy. He aimed doing God’s will in the ordinary course of life. I was struck by his great brilliance and his great humility.

newmanreader.org/works/index.html

amsjj 🙂
+++
Jesus, God and man,
imprisoned by love in Thy most holy Sacrament,
have mercy upon us.
  • Blessed John Henry Newman, December 22, 1851
Tú y yo sabemos por la fe que oculto en las especies sacramentales está Cristo,
ese Cristo con su Cuerpo, con su Sangre, con su Alma, y con su Divinidad,
prisonero de amor.
  • San Josemaría Escrivá, 1 junio 1974
God loves to be resisted in His displeasure, and to be restrained by the humble from inflicting punishment… One saint will often save a nation; so true is it that humble souls are the hinges on which God moves the world.
  • Abp. W. B. Ullathorne, The Groundwork of the Christian Virtues, 1882.
 
CRATUS said:
How human are they? They are all seem otherworldly. Which is the one you think is the most realistic? It is difficult to understand the ones who were martyrs, mystics, etc.
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CRATUS said:
How human are they? They are all seem otherworldly. Which is the one you think is the most realistic? It is difficult to understand the ones who were martyrs, mystics, etc.
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It does seem like the further back you go in time, the more “sanitized” the saint’s writings often are. What I mean is that a lot of the saints were members of a religious order, and their superiors would often edit their writings. Now Dorothy Day, Servant of God, has not yet been declared a saint, but she is being considered. Her diaries, published as* The Duty of Delight*, show a very human person doing extraordinary things, and also the more mundane things we all do. Her reflections on the sometimes challenging relationships in her life were especially interesting to me, since that is something most of us share in common.
 
Yes, reading Dorothy’s writing might be a good read, as she is pretty down to earth, it seems, though not a cannonized saint yet.

You use the word “realistic” (OP) and it’s a bit of a loaded term, but perhaps I know what you mean. Many saints lives don’t seem realistic because their lives were so focused on God and doing His Will. Oh, by the way, I did forget to mention that I’m quite devoted to Therese of Lisieux. She wrote her own little autobiography of sorts, Story of a Soul. I would very much recommend it. She didn’t live a long life, born in 1873 in Normandy and died at the age of 24, but she is most prolific for being a Little Flower. You might consider giving her a read also.

God Bless.
 
JamalChristophr said:
Yes, reading Dorothy’s writing might be a good read, as she is pretty down to earth, it seems, though not a cannonized saint yet.

You use the word “realistic” (OP) and it’s a bit of a loaded term, but perhaps I know what you mean. Many saints lives don’t seem realistic because their lives were so focused on God and doing His Will. Oh, by the way, I did forget to mention that I’m quite devoted to Therese of Lisieux. She wrote her own little autobiography of sorts, Story of a Soul. I would very much recommend it. She didn’t live a long life, born in 1873 in Normandy and died at the age of 24, but she is most prolific for being a Little Flower. You might consider giving her a read also.

God Bless.
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I did not know she died that young. I guess realistic I mean a lay person. the neighborhood mother? I guess the closer you become to God the more holy you become.
 
There are some book on just lay saints. Gianna Molla is a Blessed, I think. She was a doctor.

I myself would like to read more about Dorothy as she was pretty nitty gritty and led a very “interesting” life before her conversion. I really liked the movie about her “Entertaining Angels”

Dorothy was into the Bohemian lifestyle in her 20’s, plus she had an abortion, needless to say, she’s a bit more down to earth in a certain sense than Therese or Faustina. Also, Dorothy was a single mother. Her common law husband, if you could even call him that, left Dorothy after she decided to have her daughter baptized.
 
Hello,

I am given to understand that many, if not most, editions of “The Story of a Soul” have been heavily edited, with the aim of editing out anything that might have been challenging to a pious 19th century French catholic.

Can anyone recommend a good, completely unabridged, English translation of this work, or of Therese’s diary and letters please?

Thanks

Steve
 
You know I’m not sure on that point. My personal copy comes from ICS Publications (Institute of Carmelite Studies) by John Clark, O.C.D. It says on the cover that it’s translated from the Original Manuscripts.

Hope that helps. May Our Little Flower bless you in a special way though her intercession.
 
Jamal,

Thanks for the reply and especially for the blessing.

Steve
 
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