Fall is in the air, and you might be anticipating the approaching holidays, excited for the festivities to begin. As Catholics, we don’t have to wait to celebrate! Every day is the feast day of one saint or another, and October is definitely not lacking.
This month, let’s take some practical tips from a few of these saints, applying their advice to our own lives so we can live in the joy that God wants for us.
Relationship Advice
True Charity consists in bearing with all the defects of our neighbor, in not being surprised at his failings, and in being edified by his least virtues. –St. Therese of Lisieux, feast day October 1st
We should ever conduct ourselves towards our enemy as if he were one day to be our friend. – St. John Henry Newman, feast day October 9th
Take action: This October, let’s strive to try to look for the best in people, even when it’s difficult. Our attitude towards a person who annoys or upsets us can mean all the difference. We can’t change people’s actions, but our attitude towards them can help open their eyes to a totally different way of living. We don’t have to be stuck in a cycle of misery; we can choose to break out of the cycle, and—by God’s grace—we might be able to help someone else do the same because of the decency with which we treat them.
Putting Prayer First
I need nothing but God, and to lose myself in the heart of Jesus. – St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, feast day October 16th
Prayer can truly change your life, for it turns your attention away from yourself and directs your mind and your heart towards the Lord. If we look only at ourselves, with our own limitations and sins, we quickly give way to sadness and discouragement. But if we keep our eyes fixed on the Lord, then our hearts are filled with hope, our minds are washed in the light of truth, and we come to know the fullness of the Gospel with all its promise and life. –St. John Paul II, feast day October 22nd
Take action: Consider making a resolution this month to pray in front of Jesus for one hour of Eucharistic Adoration each week.
Staying True to Our Faith Values
We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe. –St. John Henry Newman, feast day October 9th
We are facing an enormous and dramatic clash between good and evil, death and life, the “culture of death” and the “culture of life.” We find ourselves not only faced with but necessarily in the midst of this conflict: we are all involved and we all share in it, with the inescapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally pro-life. – St. John Paul II, feast day October 22nd
Take action: The month of October is also Respect Life Month, a celebration of the value of every life. As November elections approach, vote according to the teachings of the Catholic Church that Jesus Christ Himself established and continues to guide. Following God’s Will is the only way our country will be truly free.
How to Live Life to the Fullest
All people are born as originals but many die as photocopies. – Bl. Carlo Acutis, feast day October 12th
God walks among the pots and the pans. – St. Teresa of Avila, feast day October 15th
Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible. – attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, feast day October 4th
Take action: Life is right in front of us, waiting for us, but we don’t always embrace our full potential. We’re often so concerned about what others think of us, or about getting the best job, or about doing huge things and being perfect. The saints remind us that we can find God in our smallest activities, choices, and pleasures. By living in the present and surrendering our day-to-day to God, we find meaning and joy in the everyday.
Photo by Autumn Mott Rodeheaver on Unsplash
