Sunday Sermon, November 1st -- Checklist for Sanctity, You Can Be a Saint! (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Corpus Christi Parish)

 As we celebrate All Saints Day, we must believe that we really can become saints!  It isn't too late for you to become a great saint.  November 1st will one day be our feast day in heaven.

Listen online [here]!

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CHECKLIST FOR SANCTITY

Temperance:

1. Were denial of his own will and internal mortification characteristics of the Servant of God?
2. Did he restrain the motions of anger?
3. Did he bear persecution with meekness and patience?
4. Was he unduly tenacious of his own opinion?
5. Was he sparing in the use of food and drink?
6. Did he observe the fasts of the Church?
7. Did he indulge in long hours of sleep?
8. Was his bed comfortable or uncomfortable?
9. Was he anxious to be well clothed and well housed?
10. Did he neglect the comforts of life?
11. Did he mortify the senses?
12. Did he love silence and solitude?
13. Was he modest in his demeanor?

Fortitude:

1. Was he strong and faithful in his duties of his office, tireless in work, patient in persecution, injury, calumny and trouble of mind? Has he born all these in a cheerful spirit?
2. Was he always, himself, not elated by prosperity or depressed by adversity?
3. Did he despise the honors, riches and pleasures of the world?
4. Did he constantly defend the rights of the church and restrain immorality of wicked men?

Justice:

1. Was he affable, friendly towards others?
2. Was he subject to his parents and superiors?
3. Did he show himself grateful for favors received and strive to excite gratitude in others?
4. Did he discharge with justice the office committed to him, avoiding all favoritism?
5. Did he so temper the severity of justice with kindness that no one could ever have just cause of complaint?
6. Did he render unto God due honor and obedience?
7. Did he pay veneration to the saints?
8. Did he accept the decrees of the Supreme Pontiffs with proper respect and reverence?
9. Was he exact in the observance of sacred rites and ceremonies of the Church?
10. Did he endeavor to promote the worship of God?
11. Did he respect the rights of all and give them what is due to them?
12. Did he hate usury and fraud of every kind?

Prudence:

1. Did he direct all his actions to eternal glory as his last end and select the necessary and useful means?
2. Did he love simplicity?
3. Was he sincere and true in thought and word and did he hate all duplicity and falsehood?
4. Did he seek the advice of prudent men and act on it?
5. Were all his acts good and did he first invoke divine aid for their due performance?
6. Did he have a deep hatred of idleness as a source of vice and did he love meditation and solitude?

Faith:

1. Did he often return thanks to God that he was born in the bosom of the Catholic Church or that he received the grace of conversion to it and pray that all would be brought within Her fold?
2. Did he burn with the desire of propagating the Faith?
3. Did he teach the truths of Christianity to the faithful and did he teach the Catechism?
4. Did he rejoice when some erring soul was converted to the Catholic Faith?
5. Was he grieved when the Church suffered loss or persecution?
6. Was the decoration of the house of God dear to him and the observance of the sacred ceremonies?
7. Did he love devotion to the Blessed Virgin and endeavor to propagate it? How?
8. Did he pray long and frequently before the Blessed Sacrament?
9. Did he show a tender devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ?
10. Did he often meditate on this mystery with fervor and piety? And did he strive to enkindle this in others?
11. Did he burn with the desire of shedding his blood for the Truths of the Faith?
12. Did he venerate the Sacred Scriptures and the writings of the Holy Fathers?
13. Did he obey the laws of the Church and the commands of his superiors?
14. Did he show honor to the Sovereign Pontiff and all the ministers of God?
15. Did he desire to gain indulgences?
16. Did he hate all bad books and everything opposed to the Faith?
17. Did he frequently approach the sacraments of Penance and the Blessed Eucharist?

Hope:

1. Did he firmly hope for salvation from the merits of Christ our Lord?
2. Did he despise the things of the world and how did he show his contempt?
3. In trying circumstances, did he place his trust in God alone and have recourse to prayer?
4. Did he show his hope in God by ardent and pious exclamations?
5. Did he raise up others to confidence in God?
6. Did he show a desire by word and work to suffer for eternal glory?
7. Did he rejoice at the near approach of death as the beginning of true life?
8. With what confidence did he practice good works?  Did he strive to excite this confidence in others?
9. In adversity was he resigned to the goodness of God and the decrees of His providence?
10. Did he direct his desires and all his actions to God as his last end?
11. Did he bear cheerfully all adversity and persecution?
12. Did he desire, with St. Paul to be dissolved and be with Christ?
13. Did he bear infirmity and suffering with a joyous spirit?

Charity:         (Toward neighbor with regards to spiritual things)

1. Did he pray often for the conversion of sinners?
2. What were his relations towards his enemies?
3. Did he forgive them, receive them meekly and pray for them?
4. Did he prevent discord?
5. Had he at heart the good name of others?
6. With what frequency and fervor did he offer up prayers for the souls of the deceased?

(Toward neighbor with regards to temporal things)

7. Did he comfort the afflicted?
8. Did he excuse, when opportune, the defects of his neighbors?
9. What was his attitude towards the sick?
10. Did he love the poor, help them according to his ability and strive to induce others to assist them?
11. Did he instruct the ignorant and give counsel to those in doubt?
12. Did he admonish sinners and restore peace and concord among the quarrelsome?
13. Was he devoted to the spiritual and physical wellbeing of the sick?

(Toward God)

14. Was his mind always fixed on God and in union with God, and by what acts was this union made manifest?
15. Did he hate sin and take care to preserve himself free from every defect?
16. Did he speak often of God?
17. Was his prayer constant and fervent?
18. Did he remain long in prayer before the Most Blessed Sacrament?
19. Did he lead others to the practice of prayer? How?
20. Did he meditate on the Passion of Christ? By what acts did he show his devotion to the Passion?
21. How did he show devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary?
22. Did he prevent the commission of sin and feel sorrowful when committed by others?
23. Did he endeavor by charity to enflame others towards love of God?
24. Did he by fasting and mortification bring the flesh into subjection that he might be more pleasing to God?
25. Had he a supernatural desire for affliction, contradiction, contempt and how did he bear them?
26. Did he endeavor with all his might to excite others to praise the divine goodness?