Sainthood

We often describe someone who is extremely gentle and kind as a “saint”. Sainthood, on the other hand, is a much fiercer designation, at least in Western tradition. 

To achieve Catholic sainthood, after all, may require (these days) proof of miracles, but actually connotates a fairly fanatic personality. Rigid adherence to an internal moral code, often at the cost of common social sense is a given. Following one’s belief regardless of what others may think or do .

That’s fine and dandy as long as the internal moral code agrees with our own. But if the moral code differs, the saint (in our eyes, or those of the church) quickly morphs from being holy to being an obstinate heretic or the devil personified .

I never quite understood what ancient saints – crucified, torched, fed to lions, or shot full of arrows – actually accomplished. Stubborn folks. The medieval European saints are a little more fun – usually local nature spirits and gods cleaned up a bit and turned into good parishioners .

No matter what, true sainthood even in Eastern religions often means a complete break with normal society. That hardly fits with most modern ambitions. 

And, as always, those who most try to be a saint are those least likely to become one .