It is interesting how each word on this list brings its own challenges. Yesterday’s word was inherently difficult because of its abstract nature. Today’s word provided a different challenge—to avoid the low-hanging fruit. I could have captured a photo of a saint statue in front of practically any Catholic church. I could have gone to a cemetery and taken a picture of gravestones. I could have taken photo of any of so many church marquees with their Saint So-and-So name. I could have taken a picture of Saint Nicholas in pretty much any mall. So many possibilities.
But… I grew up in the Lutheran tradition, not the Roman tradition. Which means that the idea of saint goes beyond just those folks canonized by Rome for living an religiously exemplary life. We all live a life simul iustus et peccator–loosely translated, simultaneously sinner and saint. To truly embrace this, it must follow that we must see the saint in everyone around us. Advent is a time of hope. Wouldn’t the world be such a better place if everyone viewed everyone else as holy?
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