If we were to conduct a survey and ask people who a saint is, who knows what image of holiness we would get? Probably the most common image of a saint would be a person cut off from the world, hidden somewhere in a monastery, eternally suffering and praying incessantly. We imagine saints as weirdos who have run away from people, who have nothing more to say to us, and we have no way of becoming like them. Much has contributed to this image of dusty saints’ statues with rolled-up eyes or to ancient legends about saints that no longer mean anything to us, modern people.
Today we celebrate the feast of two great saints of the Church. We are tempted to classify them as dusty statues and hackneyed stories, because much water has flowed since they lived here on earth, and we would rather look to the future than to the past. But let us resist this temptation. The lives of today’s saints are too valuable to write off. It has been over 1100 years since they lived in these regions. Our ancestors were still barbarians back then; they were cruel and cruel. They did not have a dove-like nature at all. They did not know what tolerance and peace were. They waged constant wars against one another and against other tribes. Today’s saints come into this atmosphere of intolerance and hostility. We cannot even imagine how much effort and sacrifice it cost them to fulfill Jesus’ call to the apostles today: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Cyril and Methodius could have said to themselves, “Oh, we are fine here in Constantinople; we have life security, security of every kind, and perfect places. Where would we now be struggling somewhere in unknown regions to the pagans? Why do more than is necessary?” However, they behaved completely differently. When they received the offer to go to unknown people and preach Christ to them, they did not hesitate and immediately began preparing for the journey. They were willing to endure the discomfort of the journey and the dangers from nature and people.
But we ask: Why? What led them to this decision to throw away their security and the warmth of home? To find out, we must delve into the letters of St. Paul, who says in one of his letters, “I count everything as rubbish, that I may find Christ…” (Philippians 3:8). St. Cyril and Methodius also put God first in their lives. Wherever they were, whatever they did, God was always the most important thing for them. And so they might have made mistakes in life, messed up many situations, and botched many speeches to the Gentiles, but they always had God in mind, who was their priority.
Yes, this is the truth about holiness. Holiness means falling in love with God. It doesn’t matter whether we work or rest, whether we are simple people or famous and popular, whether we live alone or confess our love to our partner, or whether we are happy or sad. It is enough to fall in love with God. We can only call ourselves believers and begin our journey to holiness if we always put God first.
Andrej Sládkovič understood this truth about holiness when he wrote his poem “Marína.” Its peak is these verses:
Those who dwell in the valleys of shadows,
Accept the counsel of the Just.
Believe in love and the desire for Eden,
Kindle your love for love.
Whether you fall in love with a virgin, pledge your heart to glory, are captivated by the sky, dedicate yourself to the nation, or fly into the vastness of humanity, love God in everything!
Today’s feast wants to tell us this: When we leave church, let us not forget that we are believers. Let us always put God first in our daily lives. Let us consider him a blessing, not something we put in a drawer after mass to avoid inconvenience. Let us fall in love with him wherever we are, whatever we do. Let us make every decision with him in mind. So that at the end of our lives we can say what Saint Paul said: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” May Saints Cyril and Methodius also help us in this
