To many, a saint is a person who is extremely holy, unimaginably close to God, and set apart from the world; an unattainable status for the rest of us “normal people”.
Bert Ghezzi, popular speaker and author, disagrees with that opinion in his recent book The Heart of a Saint: Ten Ways to Grow Closer to God.
Ghezzi explains that “Holiness is not the narrowly guarded privilege of a few, but rather an abundantly available opportunity for all. Here’s the point: we can become saints if we want. All we must do is choose to be holy, and the Holy Spirit will make it happen.”
As indicated in the title, the book presents ten elements of holiness, each illustrated by a saint who particularly exemplified that quality. Ghezzi captures the essence of the featured saints in short, conversational stories of their lives. Both interesting and thought provoking, the saint stories range from the well-known St. Francis of Assisi to the more obscure St. Aelred of Rievaulx.
The book is more than a volume of stories, however. Every chapter ends with a section entitled “Think, Pray, and Act.” Ghezzi offers further reflections on the chapter and also provides questions and suggestions for use in personal prayer and daily life. The concise format lends itself to practical application for the reader; an inspirational how-to for holiness. With the help of the Holy Spirit, of course.
Alissa Schafer, Student at Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, MI
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