November 6, 2025 • 25 mins
We explore why the lives of the saints still matter, moving from raw witness and practical prayer to Eucharistic and Marian devotion, with concrete ways to begin. Their hard-won wisdom becomes a roadmap for modern struggles and a call to act with courage and love.
• why reading saints’ lives is transformative, not passive
• flawed people becoming models of heroic virtue
• connecting Augustine, Thérèse, and Kolbe to modern challenges
• learning perseverance amid suffering and dryness
• deepening Eucharistic devotion through concrete practices
• simple, repeatable prayer habits for daily life
• Marian devotion as a path to Christ
• the communion of saints as an active family of intercessors
• how to engage with Journeys of Faith resources
Start your journey at Journeys of Faith today. Visit our website today and start your journey with Journeys of Faith. Be sure to click the link in the description for special news items.
Open by Steve Bailey
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Hello family, welcome to Journeys of Faith
(00:02):
Super Saints Podcast at BrotherJoseph Fryaldenhoven here at
your service.
Be sure to look at thedescription for special
information of interest to you.
And also, there's more to thisarticle.
Why read Lives of the CatholicSaints?
In a world that often feelsfragmented and fleeting, where
distractions pull us in athousand directions, there's a
(00:24):
quiet, timeless refuge waitingfor us in the stories of those
who've walked the path of faithbefore us.
The lives of the saints aren'tjust dusty relics of a bygone
era, they're vibrant,hard-hitting narratives of
struggle, sacrifice, andultimate triumph through God's
(00:44):
grace at journeys of faith,we've made it our mission, our
very heartbeat, to bring thesestories to life to show how the
saints, with all their humanflaws and divine callings, can
ignite a fire in our ownspiritual journeys.
Founded on the bedrock ofCatholic teaching, inspired by
(01:04):
the Eucharistic miracle ofLanciano, and driven by the
vision of Bob and Penny Lord,we've spent over four decades
guiding souls throughpilgrimages, both physical and
virtual, to the sacred spaceswhere saints lived, loved, and
laid down their lives forChrist.
Reading the lives of the saintsisn't a passive pastime, it's an
(01:27):
active, transformativeencounter.
These aren't fairy tales,they're raw accounts of men and
women who wrestled with doubt,faced persecution, and sometimes
stumbled yet clung to faith witha ferocity that reshaped the
world.
Whether it's Saint Augustine'srestless heart finding peace in
God's truth or Saint Therese ofLysieux's little way of profound
(01:51):
simplicity, their storiespreserved and shared through our
ministries, books, DVDs, andarmchair pilgrimages offer not
just inspiration but a roadmap.
They teach us how to live withpurpose, how to pray with depth,
and how to love with theselflessness that mirrors Christ
Himself.
Under the banner of one heart,one mind, one spirit with one
(02:12):
vision, we at Journeys of Faithinvite you to dive into these
sacred biographies not as merehistory, but as a call to
action, a nudge from heaven tobecome the saint God created you
to be.
Discovering role models ofheroic virtue.
When we crack open the pages ofthe lives of the saints, we're
(02:35):
not just flipping through dustyold stories of people long gone.
We're stepping into amasterclass of grit, sacrifice,
and unshakable faith, real livesthat read like epic quests.
These aren't sanitized fairytales, they're raw accounts of
men and women who stared downtemptation, persecution, and
(02:55):
even death with a courage thatfeels almost otherworldly.
Think of Saint Maximilian Colby,who volunteered to die in place
of a stranger in Auschwitz orSaint Teresa of Avila, who
battled illness and doubt toreform an entire religious
order.
Their stories aren't justinspiring, they're a gut punch.
I mean, although a call under toexamine our own lives and ask,
(03:25):
what am I willing to stand for?
Reading about the saints stripsaway the excuses we hide behind.
They weren't born with halos,they were flawed, human, and
often broken by the weight oftheir struggles.
Yet through grace they becamevessels of heroic virtue, models
of charity, humility, andobedience to God's will.
(03:46):
Their lives teach us thatholiness isn't reserved for the
perfect, it's forged in the messof daily choices, in the quiet
moments of prayer, and in thebold acts of love that defy a
world obsessed with self.
Diving into their journeys wefind not just history, but a
roadmap for our own spiritualbattles, a reminder that we're
(04:09):
all called to be saints in themaking.
Embark on a spiritual journeywith journeys of faith.
Hey there, fellow seekers of thedivine, if the lives of the
saints have ignited a spark inyour soul, let's take that
journey deeper together.
At Journeys of Faith, we're notjust about reading stories,
we're about living them.
(04:31):
Founded by uh Bob and PennyLord, our ministry, rooted in
the heart of Montefalco, Italy,has been guiding Catholics
worldwide since 1980 withunwavering loyalty to church
teaching.
From our pioneering EWTN seriesto virtual armchair pilgrimages,
(04:53):
we're here to enrich your faiththrough the lives of the saints,
Eucharistic miracles, and Mariandevotion.
Ready to dive in?
Here's how you can join us withone heart, one mind, one spirit,
with one vision.
Explore our resources, grab acopy of our iconic book, This Is
My Body, This Is My Blood,Miracles of the Eucharist, or
(05:14):
stream our inspiring content,join a virtual pilgrimage,
experience sacred shrines fromhome with our innovative online
journeys.
Shop devotional items, visit ourexpansive religious gift shop
for tools to deepen your prayerlife.
Connect with us, follow ourpodcasts and updates to stay
inspired.
Let's walk this path of faithtogether.
(05:36):
Start your journey at Journeysof Faith Today, strengthening
faith through real lifewitnesses.
In a world often clouded byskepticism and fleeting trends,
the lives of the saints stand asunyielding beacons of truth and
grace.
These aren't just dusty oldstories tucked away in forgotten
tomes.
(05:56):
They're raw, real accounts ofhuman struggle, divine
encounter, and ultimate triumph.
Think of Saint Augustinewrestling with his restless
heart until he found rest in Godor Saint Therese of Lysieux, who
turned the mundane into amasterpiece of holiness through
(06:17):
her little way.
Their journeys aren't polishedor sanitized, they're messy,
relatable, and in and piercinglyhuman.
Reading about the saints isn'tjust a history lesson, it's a
masterclass in faith.
They show us how to navigatedoubt, endure suffering, and
cling to Christ even when theworld seems to crumble.
(06:38):
Saint Maximilian Colby, forinstance, didn't just preach
love.
He lived it, stepping into theshadow of death in Auschwitz to
save a stranger.
These witnesses challenge us toask, How am I living my faith?
Am I willing to sacrifice, tostand firm, to trust God's plan
even when it's incomprehensible?
(06:58):
What's more, their storiesaren't locked in the past.
They're a live in dialogue withthe present.
The saints walk the same earthwe do, face temptations we
recognize, and yet found a pathto sanctity through surrender to
God's will.
They remind us that holinessisn't reserved for the perfect,
it's for the persistent, thebroken, the seekers who keep
(07:20):
turning back to the cross.
Diving into their lives, weuncover a roadmap for our own
spiritual battles, a reminderthat God's grace is always
enough, no matter how steep theclimb.
Connecting historical saints tomodern challenges.
Let's be real, the world todayfeels like a relentless grind.
(07:41):
We're juggling endlessnotifications, political chaos,
personal struggles, and anagging sense of disconnection.
It's easy to think the saints,those holy figures from
centuries past, couldn'tpossibly relate to our twenty
first century mess.
But dig into their stories, andyou'll find they face battles
just as raw and real as ours.
(08:03):
Their lives aren't just dustyrelics, they're blueprints for
navigating the chaos with faithas our anchor.
Take Saint Augustine of Hippo,for instance.
Before he was a theologicalheavyweight, he was a man
drowning in worldly temptations,think late night regrets and a
restless heart chasing emptypleasures.
Sound familiar?
(08:24):
In an era of instantgratification and social media
facades, Augustine's brutalhonesty about his struggles with
sin and his eventual surrenderto God's grace hits hard.
He didn't just get holyovernight.
He wrestled with his flaws, muchlike we do when we're stuck in
(08:45):
cycles of bad habits orself-doubt.
His story reminds us thattransformation isn't a straight
line, it's a messy, grace fueledjourney.
Then there's Saint Therese ofLisieux, the little flower who
never left her cloisteredconvent yet became a spiritual
giant.
She dealt with mundanefrustrations and hidden
(09:06):
suffering, offering them up asquiet sacrifices in a culture
obsessed with grand gestures andviral moments, Therese teaches
us the power of small, faithfulacts.
That unnoticed kindness youshowed, that prayer whispered in
a moment of exhaustion, theymatter.
Her little way is a radicalcounterpoint to today's hustle.
(09:29):
Showing us holiness isn't aboutbeing seen, it's about being
steadfast.
And consider Saint MaximilianColby, who stared down the
horrors of Auschwitz and choseto lay down his life for another
in a world where division andself-interest often reign,
Colby's radical love cutsthrough.
He faced unimaginable darkness,yet his faith didn't waver, it
(09:52):
burned brighter.
When we're tempted to despairover global crises or personal
betrayals, Colby's witnesschallenges us to ask, How can I
love sacrificially even when itcosts me everything?
The lives of the saints aren'tjust feel good tales, they're
battle-tested guides.
They grappled with doubt,persecution, and inner turmoil,
(10:13):
yet found strength in unwaveringtrust in God.
Their stories bridge the gapbetween history and now,
reminding us that the samedivine power that sustained them
is available to us in everystruggle.
Whether it's Augustine'sredemption, Therese's
simplicity, or Colby's courage,these saints speak directly to
(10:34):
our modern challenges, urging usto lean into faith when the
world feels like it's fallingapart.
Learning perseverance amidsuffering.
In the tapestry of the lives ofthe saints, there's a recurring
thread that binds their storiestogether, the unyielding grit to
endure suffering with a heartfixed on God.
(10:56):
Take Saint Padre Pio, forinstance, a man who bore the
stigmata, the very wounds ofChrist for decades.
His body was a battlefieldracked with pain that would have
broken most of us on day one.
Yet he didn't just endure, hetransformed that suffering into
a ministry, hearing confessionsfor hours on end, often until he
(11:19):
could barely stand.
His life wasn't a highlight reelof easy victories, it was a
slow, grinding marathon ofperseverance fueled by an
unshakable trust in divinepurpose.
And then there's Saint Thereseof Lisieux, the little flower,
who faced a quieter but no lessbrutal struggle with
tuberculosis at a young age.
She didn't have dramatic visionsor public miracles to buoy her
(11:44):
spirits in those final months.
Instead, she wrestled withspiritual dryness, feeling
abandoned by the very God sheloved, yet she clung to her
little way, offering every smallpain, every hidden tear as a
sacrifice.
Her story isn't justinspiration, it's a blueprint
for those of us who feel likeour suffering is meaningless.
It's a reminder that even in thesilence, even when the heavens
(12:09):
seem shut, perseverance isn'tabout feeling God's presence.
It's about choosing to act as ifhe's there.
These saints didn't have cheatcodes to bypass hardship.
They faced the raw, unfilteredweight of human struggle,
physical agony, doubt,rejection, and still chose to
press forward.
(12:30):
Their lives challenge us to stopseeing suffering as a dead end
and start viewing it as a forge.
It's not comfortable and it'snot glamorous, but it's where
faith is refined.
When we read their stories,we're not just spectators, we're
students, learning thatperseverance isn't about waiting
(12:50):
for the storm to pass, it'sabout walking through it step by
painful step with eyes fixed oneternity.
Inspiration for deepeningEucharistic devotion.
Let's pause for a moment anddive into one of the most
profound wellsprings of faiththat the lives of the saints
(13:11):
offer.
Their unshakable devotion to theEucharist.
Picture this.
Centuries ago, men and women,often in the face of
unimaginable hardship, found inthe blessed sacrament a source
of strength that could movemountains.
Take Saint Claire of Assisi, forinstance.
When her convent was undersiege, she didn't cower or flee.
(13:33):
She held up the monstroance withthe Eucharist, and legend tells
us the enemy scattered.
That's not just a story, it's atestament to a belief so fierce
it could stare down an army.
The saints didn't just reverethe Eucharist, they lived it.
Saint Anthony of Padua, knownfor his fiery preaching, once
challenged a skeptic to a testof faith with a starving mule.
(13:56):
The animal given the choicebetween hay and the Eucharist,
bowed before the blessedsacrament.
These accounts aren't merefolklore to dust off on feast
days.
They're raw, unfilteredreminders of a truth at the
heart of our Catholic faith.
Christ is truly present in theEucharist, and the saints knew
it in their bones.
Their lives challenge us to ask,do we approach the altar with
(14:17):
that same awe, that same hungerfor the divine?
Reading about these holy men andwomen isn't just a history
lesson, it's a call to action.
They show us that Eucharisticdevotion isn't a passive ritual,
but a transformative encounter.
Saint Margaret Mary Alakuk,through her visions of the
sacred heart, urged a deeperlove for Christ in the
(14:39):
Eucharist.
Even when her contemporariesdismissed her, her perseverance
paid off, igniting a devotionthat still burns in hearts
today.
These stories push us to gobeyond the surface, to let the
Eucharist be the center of ourspiritual lives, not just a
Sunday obligation.
They invite us to kneel a littlelonger, to pray a little deeper,
(15:01):
and to let that sacred mysteryreshape us from the inside out.
Guidance on prayer and spiritualpractices in the quiet corners
of our busy lives where thenoise of the world fades into a
distant hum, the lives of thesaints offer us a roadmap to
deeper communion with God.
(15:22):
Think of prayer not as a chorebut as a conversation, one
that's been refined throughcenturies by holy men and women
who've walked this path beforeus.
The saints like Saint Teresa ofAvila with her intense interior
life, or Saint Francis of Assisiwith his raw, earthy devotion,
(15:44):
didn't just pray, they liveprayer.
They show us that it's lessabout perfect words and more
about persistent presence,showing up heart open, even when
you feel like a mess, startsmall.
If you're new to this or justrusty, take a cue from Saint
Therese of Lisieux and herlittle way.
She taught that even thesmallest acts offering a
(16:07):
fleeting thought of love to Godwhile washing dishes can be a
prayer.
Set aside five minutes in themorning or before bed to simply
sit with a saint's story, read asnippet from their life, maybe
about Saint Ignatius of Loyola'srelentless discipline in
discernment, and let it sink in.
(16:28):
Ask yourself how did they turnto God in their struggles?
Then whisper a simple requestfor their intercession.
It's not magic, it'srelationship.
For a structured approach,consider the rosary a weapon of
peace that saints like SaintDominic wielded against chaos.
(16:48):
It's meditative, repetitive, arhythm that calms the mind while
drawing you into the mysteriesof Christ's life.
Or look to Saint Benedict'sbalance of aura et labora and
pray and work.
Pair a short prayer with a dailytask, sanctifying the mundane.
The saints weren't floating onclouds, they were knee deep in
(17:10):
life's grit just like us, andtheir practices remind us that
holiness isn't reserved for thecloister, it's forged in the
everyday.
Dive into their writings if youcan.
Saint Augustine's Confessionsisn't just a memoir, it's a raw,
unflinching guide to wrestlingwith God through doubt and sin.
Let his words prompt your ownexamination of conscience.
(17:32):
Journal a line or two afterprayer.
How did a saint's examplechallenge you today?
This isn't about perfection,it's about progress, a slow burn
toward transformation.
The lives of the saints aren'tmuseum pieces to admire from
afar.
They're living tools handed downthrough the church to shape our
(17:56):
spiritual practices intosomething real, something that
sticks.
Fostering Marian devotionthrough Catholic saints'
examples.
Let's dive into the heart of whythe lives of the saints are such
a powerful gateway to deepeningour love for Mary, the mother of
God.
Think of the saints as ourspiritual guides, real people
(18:19):
who walk the earth, wrestle withdoubts, and yet clung to faith
with a ferocity that transformedtheir lives.
Their stories aren't just dustyrelics of the past, they're raw
human testimonies of howdevotion to Mary can anchor us
in the stormiest seas of life.
Take Saint Bernard of Clairvaux,for instance, whose writings on
(18:44):
Mary as our intercessor burnwith a passion that feels almost
tangible.
He didn't just admire her fromafar, he leaned on her as a
lifeline, urging us to do thesame with his famous plea in
dangers, in doubts, indifficulties.
Think of Mary, call upon Mary.
Then there's Saint Louis deMontfort, whose unapologetic
(19:06):
zeal for Mary and consecrationreads like a battle cry for the
soul.
His life wasn't a quiet,cloistered existence, it was a
mission to show how totalsurrender to Mary leads straight
to Jesus.
Reading his works like truedevotion to Mary, you can't help
but feel the urgency, theinsistence that Mary isn't just
(19:28):
a figure to venerate, but amother to trust with everything.
These saints didn't theorizefrom ivory towers.
They lived their devotion oftenin the face of ridicule or
hardship, proving that Mary'sintercession isn't a pious
add-on, but a cornerstone ofCatholic life.
When we immerse ourselves inthese lives of the saints, we're
(19:49):
not just learning history.
We're being invited into arelationship.
Their examples challenge us toask, how often do I turn to Mary
and my struggles?
Do I trust her as they did?
Their stories are a mirrorreflecting both our shortcomings
and the boundless grace waitingif we just reach out through
their unwavering loyalty tochurch teaching and their
(20:10):
personal encounters with Mary'slove, the saints teach us that
Mary and devotion isn't aone-way street, it's a dialogue,
a lifeline, a path to Christthat's been walked by countless
holy men and women before us.
The communion of saints, ourheavenly family.
When we dive into the lives ofthe saints, we're not just
(20:32):
flipping through dusty old pagesof history or marveling at
impossible feats.
We're connecting with a living,breathing family, a network of
souls that have walked the samebroken roads we tread, who've
wrestled with doubt, sin, andsuffering, and who now stand
before the throne of Godcheering us on.
The communion of saints isn'tsome abstract theological
(20:56):
concept.
It's a lifeline, a reminder thatwe're never alone in this
spiritual grind.
Think of the saints as our oldersiblings in faith.
And they've been through thefire, whether it's Saint Teresa
of Avila navigating the darknight of the soul, or Saint
Maximilian Colby offering hislife in a Nazi death camp.
(21:17):
Their stories aren't justinspirational, they're
instructional.
They show us how to lean intoprayer when the world feels like
it's collapsing, how to cling toChrist's cross when hope seems
out of reach, reading abouttheir lives isn't a passive
entertainment.
It's a call to action, a nudgeto examine our own hearts and
(21:40):
ask, how am I running this race?
And here's the kicker.
The saints aren't distantcelebrities in some heavenly VIP
lounge.
They're intercessors activelypraying for us, bridging the gap
between earth and eternity.
When we read their stories,we're not just learning about
them, we're forging a bond,inviting their friendship into
(22:01):
our daily struggles.
Saint Therese of Lysieux, withher little way of small loving
acts, becomes a companion forthe mundane moments.
Saint Augustine, with his uhwith his raw confessions of a
wayward life redeemed, walksbeside us in our own battles
with temptation.
(22:22):
This is the beauty of thecommunion of saints.
Our heavenly family doesn't justinspire, they accompany.
So when we crack open a book onthe lives of the saints, we're
not escaping into a fantasy.
We're stepping into a realityfar bigger than ourselves, a
reality where every tear, everyprayer, every step toward
holiness echoes in the halls ofheaven.
(22:44):
Their victories are ours toclaim, their wisdom ours to
borrow.
It's a sacred exchange, one thatroots us deeper in the faith and
reminds us that holiness isn't asolo quest, it's a family
affair, a call to journey deeperwith the saints.
As we've explored the profoundimpact of reading the lives of
(23:06):
the saints, it's clear thatthese stories are more than
historical accounts.
They're a living blueprint forour own spiritual quests.
At Journeys of Faith, we'vededicated decades to uncovering
the transformative power ofthese holy lives inspired by the
same Eucharistic devotion thatignited Bob and Penny Lord's
(23:26):
mission in 1980.
Their legacy, now carriedforward by Luce Elena Sandoval
Lord, invites you to dive deeperinto faith through our books,
streaming content, and virtualpilgrimages.
The saints remind us thatholiness isn't reserved for a
distant few, it's a call foreach of us, echoing our motto
(23:47):
one heart, one mind, one spiritwith one vision.
Let their courage, sacrifice,and unwavering loyalty to uh
Catholic teaching stir yoursoul.
Whether you're joining us on anarmchair pilgrimage or seeking
inspiration from our vastresources, the lives of the
(24:07):
saints are a guiding light.
Take that first step.
Explore their story withjourneys of faith and let their
example lead you closer toChrist.
Your journey of spiritualenrichment awaits.
Visit our website today andstart your journey with journeys
of faith.
Thanks for listening to SuperSaints Podcast.
Be sure to click the link in thedescription for special news
(24:29):
items.
Hello family, welcome to Journeys of Faith
(00:02):
Super Saints Podcast at BrotherJoseph Fryaldenhoven here at
your service.
Be sure to look at thedescription for special
information of interest to you.
And also, there's more to thisarticle.
Why read Lives of the CatholicSaints?
In a world that often feelsfragmented and fleeting, where
distractions pull us in athousand directions, there's a
(00:24):
quiet, timeless refuge waitingfor us in the stories of those
who've walked the path of faithbefore us.
The lives of the saints aren'tjust dusty relics of a bygone
era, they're vibrant,hard-hitting narratives of
struggle, sacrifice, andultimate triumph through God's
(00:44):
grace at journeys of faith,we've made it our mission, our
very heartbeat, to bring thesestories to life to show how the
saints, with all their humanflaws and divine callings, can
ignite a fire in our ownspiritual journeys.
Founded on the bedrock ofCatholic teaching, inspired by
(01:04):
the Eucharistic miracle ofLanciano, and driven by the
vision of Bob and Penny Lord,we've spent over four decades
guiding souls throughpilgrimages, both physical and
virtual, to the sacred spaceswhere saints lived, loved, and
laid down their lives forChrist.
Reading the lives of the saintsisn't a passive pastime, it's an
(01:27):
active, transformativeencounter.
These aren't fairy tales,they're raw accounts of men and
women who wrestled with doubt,faced persecution, and sometimes
stumbled yet clung to faith witha ferocity that reshaped the
world.
Whether it's Saint Augustine'srestless heart finding peace in
God's truth or Saint Therese ofLysieux's little way of profound
(01:51):
simplicity, their storiespreserved and shared through our
ministries, books, DVDs, andarmchair pilgrimages offer not
just inspiration but a roadmap.
They teach us how to live withpurpose, how to pray with depth,
and how to love with theselflessness that mirrors Christ
Himself.
Under the banner of one heart,one mind, one spirit with one
(02:12):
vision, we at Journeys of Faithinvite you to dive into these
sacred biographies not as merehistory, but as a call to
action, a nudge from heaven tobecome the saint God created you
to be.
Discovering role models ofheroic virtue.
When we crack open the pages ofthe lives of the saints, we're
(02:35):
not just flipping through dustyold stories of people long gone.
We're stepping into amasterclass of grit, sacrifice,
and unshakable faith, real livesthat read like epic quests.
These aren't sanitized fairytales, they're raw accounts of
men and women who stared downtemptation, persecution, and
(02:55):
even death with a courage thatfeels almost otherworldly.
Think of Saint Maximilian Colby,who volunteered to die in place
of a stranger in Auschwitz orSaint Teresa of Avila, who
battled illness and doubt toreform an entire religious
order.
Their stories aren't justinspiring, they're a gut punch.
I mean, although a call under toexamine our own lives and ask,
(03:25):
what am I willing to stand for?
Reading about the saints stripsaway the excuses we hide behind.
They weren't born with halos,they were flawed, human, and
often broken by the weight oftheir struggles.
Yet through grace they becamevessels of heroic virtue, models
of charity, humility, andobedience to God's will.
(03:46):
Their lives teach us thatholiness isn't reserved for the
perfect, it's forged in the messof daily choices, in the quiet
moments of prayer, and in thebold acts of love that defy a
world obsessed with self.
Diving into their journeys wefind not just history, but a
roadmap for our own spiritualbattles, a reminder that we're
(04:09):
all called to be saints in themaking.
Embark on a spiritual journeywith journeys of faith.
Hey there, fellow seekers of thedivine, if the lives of the
saints have ignited a spark inyour soul, let's take that
journey deeper together.
At Journeys of Faith, we're notjust about reading stories,
we're about living them.
(04:31):
Founded by uh Bob and PennyLord, our ministry, rooted in
the heart of Montefalco, Italy,has been guiding Catholics
worldwide since 1980 withunwavering loyalty to church
teaching.
From our pioneering EWTN seriesto virtual armchair pilgrimages,
(04:53):
we're here to enrich your faiththrough the lives of the saints,
Eucharistic miracles, and Mariandevotion.
Ready to dive in?
Here's how you can join us withone heart, one mind, one spirit,
with one vision.
Explore our resources, grab acopy of our iconic book, This Is
My Body, This Is My Blood,Miracles of the Eucharist, or
(05:14):
stream our inspiring content,join a virtual pilgrimage,
experience sacred shrines fromhome with our innovative online
journeys.
Shop devotional items, visit ourexpansive religious gift shop
for tools to deepen your prayerlife.
Connect with us, follow ourpodcasts and updates to stay
inspired.
Let's walk this path of faithtogether.
(05:36):
Start your journey at Journeysof Faith Today, strengthening
faith through real lifewitnesses.
In a world often clouded byskepticism and fleeting trends,
the lives of the saints stand asunyielding beacons of truth and
grace.
These aren't just dusty oldstories tucked away in forgotten
tomes.
(05:56):
They're raw, real accounts ofhuman struggle, divine
encounter, and ultimate triumph.
Think of Saint Augustinewrestling with his restless
heart until he found rest in Godor Saint Therese of Lysieux, who
turned the mundane into amasterpiece of holiness through
(06:17):
her little way.
Their journeys aren't polishedor sanitized, they're messy,
relatable, and in and piercinglyhuman.
Reading about the saints isn'tjust a history lesson, it's a
masterclass in faith.
They show us how to navigatedoubt, endure suffering, and
cling to Christ even when theworld seems to crumble.
(06:38):
Saint Maximilian Colby, forinstance, didn't just preach
love.
He lived it, stepping into theshadow of death in Auschwitz to
save a stranger.
These witnesses challenge us toask, How am I living my faith?
Am I willing to sacrifice, tostand firm, to trust God's plan
even when it's incomprehensible?
(06:58):
What's more, their storiesaren't locked in the past.
They're a live in dialogue withthe present.
The saints walk the same earthwe do, face temptations we
recognize, and yet found a pathto sanctity through surrender to
God's will.
They remind us that holinessisn't reserved for the perfect,
it's for the persistent, thebroken, the seekers who keep
(07:20):
turning back to the cross.
Diving into their lives, weuncover a roadmap for our own
spiritual battles, a reminderthat God's grace is always
enough, no matter how steep theclimb.
Connecting historical saints tomodern challenges.
Let's be real, the world todayfeels like a relentless grind.
(07:41):
We're juggling endlessnotifications, political chaos,
personal struggles, and anagging sense of disconnection.
It's easy to think the saints,those holy figures from
centuries past, couldn'tpossibly relate to our twenty
first century mess.
But dig into their stories, andyou'll find they face battles
just as raw and real as ours.
(08:03):
Their lives aren't just dustyrelics, they're blueprints for
navigating the chaos with faithas our anchor.
Take Saint Augustine of Hippo,for instance.
Before he was a theologicalheavyweight, he was a man
drowning in worldly temptations,think late night regrets and a
restless heart chasing emptypleasures.
Sound familiar?
(08:24):
In an era of instantgratification and social media
facades, Augustine's brutalhonesty about his struggles with
sin and his eventual surrenderto God's grace hits hard.
He didn't just get holyovernight.
He wrestled with his flaws, muchlike we do when we're stuck in
(08:45):
cycles of bad habits orself-doubt.
His story reminds us thattransformation isn't a straight
line, it's a messy, grace fueledjourney.
Then there's Saint Therese ofLisieux, the little flower who
never left her cloisteredconvent yet became a spiritual
giant.
She dealt with mundanefrustrations and hidden
(09:06):
suffering, offering them up asquiet sacrifices in a culture
obsessed with grand gestures andviral moments, Therese teaches
us the power of small, faithfulacts.
That unnoticed kindness youshowed, that prayer whispered in
a moment of exhaustion, theymatter.
Her little way is a radicalcounterpoint to today's hustle.
(09:29):
Showing us holiness isn't aboutbeing seen, it's about being
steadfast.
And consider Saint MaximilianColby, who stared down the
horrors of Auschwitz and choseto lay down his life for another
in a world where division andself-interest often reign,
Colby's radical love cutsthrough.
He faced unimaginable darkness,yet his faith didn't waver, it
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burned brighter.
When we're tempted to despairover global crises or personal
betrayals, Colby's witnesschallenges us to ask, How can I
love sacrificially even when itcosts me everything?
The lives of the saints aren'tjust feel good tales, they're
battle-tested guides.
They grappled with doubt,persecution, and inner turmoil,
(10:13):
yet found strength in unwaveringtrust in God.
Their stories bridge the gapbetween history and now,
reminding us that the samedivine power that sustained them
is available to us in everystruggle.
Whether it's Augustine'sredemption, Therese's
simplicity, or Colby's courage,these saints speak directly to
(10:34):
our modern challenges, urging usto lean into faith when the
world feels like it's fallingapart.
Learning perseverance amidsuffering.
In the tapestry of the lives ofthe saints, there's a recurring
thread that binds their storiestogether, the unyielding grit to
endure suffering with a heartfixed on God.
(10:56):
Take Saint Padre Pio, forinstance, a man who bore the
stigmata, the very wounds ofChrist for decades.
His body was a battlefieldracked with pain that would have
broken most of us on day one.
Yet he didn't just endure, hetransformed that suffering into
a ministry, hearing confessionsfor hours on end, often until he
(11:19):
could barely stand.
His life wasn't a highlight reelof easy victories, it was a
slow, grinding marathon ofperseverance fueled by an
unshakable trust in divinepurpose.
And then there's Saint Thereseof Lisieux, the little flower,
who faced a quieter but no lessbrutal struggle with
tuberculosis at a young age.
She didn't have dramatic visionsor public miracles to buoy her
(11:44):
spirits in those final months.
Instead, she wrestled withspiritual dryness, feeling
abandoned by the very God sheloved, yet she clung to her
little way, offering every smallpain, every hidden tear as a
sacrifice.
Her story isn't justinspiration, it's a blueprint
for those of us who feel likeour suffering is meaningless.
It's a reminder that even in thesilence, even when the heavens
(12:09):
seem shut, perseverance isn'tabout feeling God's presence.
It's about choosing to act as ifhe's there.
These saints didn't have cheatcodes to bypass hardship.
They faced the raw, unfilteredweight of human struggle,
physical agony, doubt,rejection, and still chose to
press forward.
(12:30):
Their lives challenge us to stopseeing suffering as a dead end
and start viewing it as a forge.
It's not comfortable and it'snot glamorous, but it's where
faith is refined.
When we read their stories,we're not just spectators, we're
students, learning thatperseverance isn't about waiting
(12:50):
for the storm to pass, it'sabout walking through it step by
painful step with eyes fixed oneternity.
Inspiration for deepeningEucharistic devotion.
Let's pause for a moment anddive into one of the most
profound wellsprings of faiththat the lives of the saints
(13:11):
offer.
Their unshakable devotion to theEucharist.
Picture this.
Centuries ago, men and women,often in the face of
unimaginable hardship, found inthe blessed sacrament a source
of strength that could movemountains.
Take Saint Claire of Assisi, forinstance.
When her convent was undersiege, she didn't cower or flee.
(13:33):
She held up the monstroance withthe Eucharist, and legend tells
us the enemy scattered.
That's not just a story, it's atestament to a belief so fierce
it could stare down an army.
The saints didn't just reverethe Eucharist, they lived it.
Saint Anthony of Padua, knownfor his fiery preaching, once
challenged a skeptic to a testof faith with a starving mule.
(13:56):
The animal given the choicebetween hay and the Eucharist,
bowed before the blessedsacrament.
These accounts aren't merefolklore to dust off on feast
days.
They're raw, unfilteredreminders of a truth at the
heart of our Catholic faith.
Christ is truly present in theEucharist, and the saints knew
it in their bones.
Their lives challenge us to ask,do we approach the altar with
(14:17):
that same awe, that same hungerfor the divine?
Reading about these holy men andwomen isn't just a history
lesson, it's a call to action.
They show us that Eucharisticdevotion isn't a passive ritual,
but a transformative encounter.
Saint Margaret Mary Alakuk,through her visions of the
sacred heart, urged a deeperlove for Christ in the
(14:39):
Eucharist.
Even when her contemporariesdismissed her, her perseverance
paid off, igniting a devotionthat still burns in hearts
today.
These stories push us to gobeyond the surface, to let the
Eucharist be the center of ourspiritual lives, not just a
Sunday obligation.
They invite us to kneel a littlelonger, to pray a little deeper,
(15:01):
and to let that sacred mysteryreshape us from the inside out.
Guidance on prayer and spiritualpractices in the quiet corners
of our busy lives where thenoise of the world fades into a
distant hum, the lives of thesaints offer us a roadmap to
deeper communion with God.
(15:22):
Think of prayer not as a chorebut as a conversation, one
that's been refined throughcenturies by holy men and women
who've walked this path beforeus.
The saints like Saint Teresa ofAvila with her intense interior
life, or Saint Francis of Assisiwith his raw, earthy devotion,
(15:44):
didn't just pray, they liveprayer.
They show us that it's lessabout perfect words and more
about persistent presence,showing up heart open, even when
you feel like a mess, startsmall.
If you're new to this or justrusty, take a cue from Saint
Therese of Lisieux and herlittle way.
She taught that even thesmallest acts offering a
(16:07):
fleeting thought of love to Godwhile washing dishes can be a
prayer.
Set aside five minutes in themorning or before bed to simply
sit with a saint's story, read asnippet from their life, maybe
about Saint Ignatius of Loyola'srelentless discipline in
discernment, and let it sink in.
(16:28):
Ask yourself how did they turnto God in their struggles?
Then whisper a simple requestfor their intercession.
It's not magic, it'srelationship.
For a structured approach,consider the rosary a weapon of
peace that saints like SaintDominic wielded against chaos.
(16:48):
It's meditative, repetitive, arhythm that calms the mind while
drawing you into the mysteriesof Christ's life.
Or look to Saint Benedict'sbalance of aura et labora and
pray and work.
Pair a short prayer with a dailytask, sanctifying the mundane.
The saints weren't floating onclouds, they were knee deep in
(17:10):
life's grit just like us, andtheir practices remind us that
holiness isn't reserved for thecloister, it's forged in the
everyday.
Dive into their writings if youcan.
Saint Augustine's Confessionsisn't just a memoir, it's a raw,
unflinching guide to wrestlingwith God through doubt and sin.
Let his words prompt your ownexamination of conscience.
(17:32):
Journal a line or two afterprayer.
How did a saint's examplechallenge you today?
This isn't about perfection,it's about progress, a slow burn
toward transformation.
The lives of the saints aren'tmuseum pieces to admire from
afar.
They're living tools handed downthrough the church to shape our
(17:56):
spiritual practices intosomething real, something that
sticks.
Fostering Marian devotionthrough Catholic saints'
examples.
Let's dive into the heart of whythe lives of the saints are such
a powerful gateway to deepeningour love for Mary, the mother of
God.
Think of the saints as ourspiritual guides, real people
(18:19):
who walk the earth, wrestle withdoubts, and yet clung to faith
with a ferocity that transformedtheir lives.
Their stories aren't just dustyrelics of the past, they're raw
human testimonies of howdevotion to Mary can anchor us
in the stormiest seas of life.
Take Saint Bernard of Clairvaux,for instance, whose writings on
(18:44):
Mary as our intercessor burnwith a passion that feels almost
tangible.
He didn't just admire her fromafar, he leaned on her as a
lifeline, urging us to do thesame with his famous plea in
dangers, in doubts, indifficulties.
Think of Mary, call upon Mary.
Then there's Saint Louis deMontfort, whose unapologetic
(19:06):
zeal for Mary and consecrationreads like a battle cry for the
soul.
His life wasn't a quiet,cloistered existence, it was a
mission to show how totalsurrender to Mary leads straight
to Jesus.
Reading his works like truedevotion to Mary, you can't help
but feel the urgency, theinsistence that Mary isn't just
(19:28):
a figure to venerate, but amother to trust with everything.
These saints didn't theorizefrom ivory towers.
They lived their devotion oftenin the face of ridicule or
hardship, proving that Mary'sintercession isn't a pious
add-on, but a cornerstone ofCatholic life.
When we immerse ourselves inthese lives of the saints, we're
(19:49):
not just learning history.
We're being invited into arelationship.
Their examples challenge us toask, how often do I turn to Mary
and my struggles?
Do I trust her as they did?
Their stories are a mirrorreflecting both our shortcomings
and the boundless grace waitingif we just reach out through
their unwavering loyalty tochurch teaching and their
(20:10):
personal encounters with Mary'slove, the saints teach us that
Mary and devotion isn't aone-way street, it's a dialogue,
a lifeline, a path to Christthat's been walked by countless
holy men and women before us.
The communion of saints, ourheavenly family.
When we dive into the lives ofthe saints, we're not just
(20:32):
flipping through dusty old pagesof history or marveling at
impossible feats.
We're connecting with a living,breathing family, a network of
souls that have walked the samebroken roads we tread, who've
wrestled with doubt, sin, andsuffering, and who now stand
before the throne of Godcheering us on.
The communion of saints isn'tsome abstract theological
(20:56):
concept.
It's a lifeline, a reminder thatwe're never alone in this
spiritual grind.
Think of the saints as our oldersiblings in faith.
And they've been through thefire, whether it's Saint Teresa
of Avila navigating the darknight of the soul, or Saint
Maximilian Colby offering hislife in a Nazi death camp.
(21:17):
Their stories aren't justinspirational, they're
instructional.
They show us how to lean intoprayer when the world feels like
it's collapsing, how to cling toChrist's cross when hope seems
out of reach, reading abouttheir lives isn't a passive
entertainment.
It's a call to action, a nudgeto examine our own hearts and
(21:40):
ask, how am I running this race?
And here's the kicker.
The saints aren't distantcelebrities in some heavenly VIP
lounge.
They're intercessors activelypraying for us, bridging the gap
between earth and eternity.
When we read their stories,we're not just learning about
them, we're forging a bond,inviting their friendship into
(22:01):
our daily struggles.
Saint Therese of Lysieux, withher little way of small loving
acts, becomes a companion forthe mundane moments.
Saint Augustine, with his uhwith his raw confessions of a
wayward life redeemed, walksbeside us in our own battles
with temptation.
(22:22):
This is the beauty of thecommunion of saints.
Our heavenly family doesn't justinspire, they accompany.
So when we crack open a book onthe lives of the saints, we're
not escaping into a fantasy.
We're stepping into a realityfar bigger than ourselves, a
reality where every tear, everyprayer, every step toward
holiness echoes in the halls ofheaven.
(22:44):
Their victories are ours toclaim, their wisdom ours to
borrow.
It's a sacred exchange, one thatroots us deeper in the faith and
reminds us that holiness isn't asolo quest, it's a family
affair, a call to journey deeperwith the saints.
As we've explored the profoundimpact of reading the lives of
(23:06):
the saints, it's clear thatthese stories are more than
historical accounts.
They're a living blueprint forour own spiritual quests.
At Journeys of Faith, we'vededicated decades to uncovering
the transformative power ofthese holy lives inspired by the
same Eucharistic devotion thatignited Bob and Penny Lord's
(23:26):
mission in 1980.
Their legacy, now carriedforward by Luce Elena Sandoval
Lord, invites you to dive deeperinto faith through our books,
streaming content, and virtualpilgrimages.
The saints remind us thatholiness isn't reserved for a
distant few, it's a call foreach of us, echoing our motto
(23:47):
one heart, one mind, one spiritwith one vision.
Let their courage, sacrifice,and unwavering loyalty to uh
Catholic teaching stir yoursoul.
Whether you're joining us on anarmchair pilgrimage or seeking
inspiration from our vastresources, the lives of the
(24:07):
saints are a guiding light.
Take that first step.
Explore their story withjourneys of faith and let their
example lead you closer toChrist.
Your journey of spiritualenrichment awaits.
Visit our website today andstart your journey with journeys
of faith.
Thanks for listening to SuperSaints Podcast.
Be sure to click the link in thedescription for special news
(24:29):
items.
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