The ‘Hidden Saints’

In preparation for Advent I’ve been seeking wisdom from the words of Pope Francis in a recently published book, The Church of Mercy (Loyola Press), a collection of Francis’s writings and speeches. In a speech in April of 2013, Pope Francis had this to say:

[T]he testimony of faith comes in very many forms, just as in a great fresco there is a variety of colors and shades; yet they are all important, even those that do not stand out. In God’s great plan, every detail is important, even yours, even my humble little witness, even the hidden witness of those who live their faith with simplicity in everyday family relationships, work relationships, and friendships. There are the saints of every day, the “hidden” saints, a sort of “middle class of holiness,” as a French author said, that middle class of holiness to which we can all belong.