I’ve had a lot of people on my mind lately, really good people have been on my mind, which has led me to think about how many truly amazing people I know. I was a little surprised, to be honest. Is it normal to know so many people who are exceptionally selfless, kind, generous? It must be, unless I live in some kind of “good people” bubble. I think my surprise came from the fact that I regularly forget that the people I actually know are good people. I scroll through social media and get a hefty dose of hearing that the way someone literally checks a box every couple years is what determines whether they are good or bad. And I actually start to believe it- my feelings towards certain people change because of how they voted! I read or watch the news and am horrified by the atrocities human beings are capable of committing. I hear second hand stories of despicable people making selfish choices. I read comments online from strangers who would probably never say something like that to someone’s face. Little by little, I lose sense of reality, and begin to think most people are rotten. It takes work to look at my life and the people I know and remember that I actually have very few despicable people in my circles. I have been to a few funerals in the last couple of months, parents of friends, so people who I didn’t know closely, but who even in their death inspired me. At my aunt’s funeral years ago, there was a deacon who didn’t know my aunt, assigned to lead us in the rosary and sharing of stories. He exclaimed how much he loved hearing these stories and being reminded of the unknown saints in our midst.
I have always loved reading about the lives of the saints. I find a lot of inspiration in their stories. There are saints who have been officially canonized as a saint after a pretty lengthy investigation into their life, and there are also millions of unknown saints. None of them are perfect people. In fact, many of the canonized saints, had a pretty wild and sinful life before having a profound moment of turning their life around, but even after that moment, they are not perfect. Their diversity is what inspires me the most- there are saints from every continent, rich and poor saints, smart and simple saints, young and old saints, saints who accomplished big changes during a pivotal moment in history and saints who quietly lived their lives in love, saints of all personalities, temperaments, and professions. It is consoling to know there is not just one way to be holy. Reflecting on the ‘unknown saints in my midst’ has been a healing balm for my soul recently, so I thought I would describe briefly some of these people. I hope it will encourage you to reflect on the unknown saints in your own life.
I have a friend who has fostered kids for over a decade. She has also had cancer come back multiple times. I can’t imagine it ever felt like ‘good timing’ to say yes to opening her home and her heart to another little one, yet she has said yes to dozens of little ones over the years.
When I worked at the crisis nursery for a year, there was an old man who had worked there since the beginning. He was well past retirement age, but he continued to come in to work the graveyard shift, to rock the babies back to sleep when they woke up crying.
I visited a L’arche community where disabled and able-bodied people live together. I think of a particular man there with down syndrome who loves people unconditionally and honestly with exuberance. He doesn’t care about the traits that we usually judge people by- are they cool, are they smart, are they like me, did they vote the right way, do I want to be their friend? He’s just ecstatic to welcome another friend to his home.
A couple with children of their own, who also became the “adopted” parents of all us young camp counselors growing awkwardly into young adulthood.
My aunt who never got married or had children of her own, yet gave all she had to others, literally selling her house to help her Godson out of a troublesome time, and living the rest of her days in a small, rented bedroom.
The permanent members of Con-solatio, who have taken their own private vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Every day they seek out the suffering people in their midst and spend their time and energy visiting and befriending them- in hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and anywhere else. This is the work they have dedicated their whole lives to.
A grandma in Honduras, Dona Santos (appropriately means saint), who was raising her granddaughter who is deaf, another son with severe disabilities, a third girl who is not biologically related, and watches over the neighborhood kids with a kindness and attention that is moving.
My father-in-law who has been a small church pastor his whole adult life, walked with people during intense struggles, been a rock of his community and still has to work a full-time job to support himself and his family.
A couple in my home town, restaurant owners, who loved hiring the teens who needed to catch a break in life, who donated their food for countless events and reasons, who, even in retirement, continue to be beacons of light in a town that hit hard times.
In my teaching career, I could name many teachers who regularly go above and beyond, for the sake of the students they care for.
Neighbors, co-workers, friends, acquaintances, volunteers, family members. I feel like I could write for pages as I think through the nice gestures I’ve experienced, the selfless love I’ve witnessed, and the incredible inspiration of the goodness of people. My husband loves a country song with the line, “I believe most people are good, and most mamas oughtta qualify for sainthood.” I did not intend to be finishing this blog on Mother’s Day, yet I guess providence had a better plan. My own mother was definitely one of the most saintly people I know. From the very beginning when she risked her life just to give life to my brother and I, to all the moments since when she consistently attended to the needs of others, she was truly an unknown saint.
To all kinds of mamas raising and loving kids, to the artists adding beauty to our world, to the scientists working ethically to reduce suffering, to the lawyers working for justice, to the neighbors and community makers, to all the unknown saints in our lives, this one’s for you all.