By Ken Canedo

Jukebox: Litany

Ever notice that the biggest blockbuster movies are about superheroes?  Spider-Man, the X-Men, Batman, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four – in the past five years alone the exploits of these costumed crime fighters have broken all box office records. Never mind that they all have juvenile literature as their source. The comic book movies appeal to people of all ages through the universal story of the triumph of good over evil.

November 1st is All Saints Day, a celebration of the Church’s superheroes. That might sound funny, but the saints do share some things in common with the Justice League.  Both groups received a call to serve a higher ideal; they fought off villains and the temptation of evil; they triumphed on the strength of their super-powers.

Okay, I’m not advocating that Saint Francis should now be called Animal Man, or Saint Clare change her name to Marvel Girl. But the saints do have an awesome “super-power” that totally blows away Green Lantern’s ring: HOLINESS!

The word “holy” has negative connotations for some people. To be holy means to be a “goody two-shoes,” a clean moral person who leads a righteous and boring life, like Clark Kent. This stereotyping gives holiness a bad rap.

Want to see some truly great blockbuster stories? Read the lives of the saints. Many of them were less-than-saintly at some point in their lives. As a young man, Saint Francis of Assisi had a reputation for partying. Saint John Vianney was so insecure about his priestly ministry that he walked away from his parish a few times. But the awareness of their call to holiness helped the saints overcome their shortcomings and stumbling blocks.

Through baptism, all Christians are called to holiness. It’s a lifelong process that leads to sainthood, our ultimate union with God. November 1 is the celebration of everyone – canonized and non-canonized – who has arrived at sainthood through the doorway of death.  But we don’t need to die to begin our journey to sainthood. This journey begins now in the way we respond to our call to holiness.

What does it mean to be holy? The late Pope John Paul II spoke of holiness in his Apostolic Letter, At the Beginning of the New Millennium, January 6, 2001.

“Since baptism is a true entry into the holiness of God through incorporation into Christ and the indwelling of his Spirit, it would be a contradiction to settle for a life of mediocrity . . .   The ways of holiness are many, according to the vocation of each individual.”

I like Matt Maher’s prayer for holiness from his song, Just Like You. Addressing God, Matt sings:

I want to be holy just like you.
I want to go where you lead me to.
With reckless abandon to your truth,
I want to fall deeper in love with you.

What a great way to define holiness: To fall deeper in love with God!  Holiness is such an awesome “super-power!” Lead me, Lord, beyond a life of mediocrity.  Lead me to sainthood – faster than a speeding bullet!