The image of Christ in the life of the saints

Saints are living images of Christ. They also emphasize in his life this or that aspect of the fullness of the infinite holiness of the God-Man. We’ll settle for three examples.
SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI. In his spiritual development, we can schematically distinguish three main phases. First could be called “revolutionary.” Although he lives in a Christian society, he discovers that the gospel’s law is not the world’s law. He writes the rules in the cave at Fonte Colombo for themselves and their brethren, which are not anything but quotations from the gospel. And yet, it hits for trouble. Church authorities are reluctant to approve such an imperfect “order” that could lead to incorrect interpretations.

The second period of the saint’s life could be characterized as “following Christ.” In Greccio, he creates the first living nativity scene, as if to say that it is not enough to pay attention only to the gospel’s words, such as some theoretical program. It is necessary to place the Savior in life, revive them before our eyes, imitate his person, and follow him.

The experience of the third period is “life in Christ. “La Verna is given stigma, so he can say clearly, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”
. Christ does not imitate himself as an example, who stands before us, but like the one who lives in the U.S.

IGNAC FROM LOYOLA. Jehovah was very interested in contact with Christ confidential. He saw Christ in visions more than thirty times.
The goal of his method of meditation was to become a personal conversation with Jesus “as a friend he speaks with a friend.” However, he concluded from this. The experience that Christ he has done so much for me and is still acting, requiring a generous answer: What should I do for Christ? At this point, Ignac was not very clear. For one side fervently longed not to follow him spiritually, but physically, in the footsteps of Jesus, go to the Holy Land, stay there and find death there. On the other hand, he was faced with possibilities at all times, letting others know the greatness of Jesus and the beauty of spiritual life. After long hesitations, the second aspect prevailed. It was closed because of the war journey to the Holy Land. That’s when Providence gave the saints understand that he should not serve Jesus in Palestine, in his native land in the material sense, but his church. When he was ordained a priest, he wanted to serve his own Holy Mass in Bethlehem. Then he served her in Rome in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in front of the remains of the crib, and he and his companions entered into the service of Christ living in the church.

CHARLES DE FOUCAULD. He also has spiritual development in different degrees. After leaving the military school, where it was all focused on success and career, Charles was affected by the gospel’s teaching, which encourages us to choose the last place (cf. Lk 14:10). But because the last place Jesus, Charles de Foucauld, has already chosen in this world, he conceived the intention to occupy the “penultimate.” And he also sought them first in a Trappist monastery, then in service in Syria to the Bedouins, then still in Nazareth as a simple servant in the sisters’ convent. But finally, c got the idea that it meant a turning point in his life. Jesus did not choose the last one instead of serving us as a benefactor who comes from elsewhere, but by becoming one of us. France had many missionaries who, along with Christian teaching, brought a higher cultural and social standard.
De Foucauld chose another method, namely the method of the incarnate Christ. He lived with the poor Bedouin in the Sahara; he became one of them and died because he did not want to separate from them in times of danger.