James Martin, SJ, on exploring saints’ biographies and using them to spread the word of God

Christian W: Father Martin, God Bless You, and thank you for taking the time to visit on Sister Julie’s blog today.

I first heard you conducting an interview on the Saintcast podcast talking about your books. Then, not too long after, I was attending the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress and found myself at the Loyola Press display. ‘My Life with the Saints’ was on sale at a special price for the exhibit – so I purchased a copy.
The only other biographical-style book I have ever purchased prior to your book is ‘The Story of a Soul.’ I bought that book because St. Therese helped to bring me back into the Church in my mid 30’s. I focused on St. Therese because she is the Patroness of my Diocese (Fresno, CA). Oh, and did I mention my parish is the Shrine of St. Therese in Fresno? Coming back to the Church and listening to homilies relating to an ordinary girl from Lisieux made me realize that any of us can be called to do something extraordinary. It also inspired me to get her story in her words.

Your stories on how you were introduced to each of the saints in your book are enjoyable, but it leads me to my question. How does an ordinary lay person cull through all of the Saints and find some biographies and other stories about these amazing lives and find the right one that might affect our own lives in some way. Additionally, how can we use these Saints to help better spread the word of God and the Church today.
I look forward to reading ‘A Jesuit Off-Broadway’. Thank you again for your time.

Father Martin: First of all, St. Therese is one of the very best saints to start with, because her spirituality of the “Little Way” (doing small things with great love for God) can be applicable to everyone’s life. So keep following her example and praying to her! As for books to read, at the back of my book I include a long list of good and accessible biographies of each of the saints that I talk about. But let me recommend a few other general books which themselves include helpful bibliographies. First, Richard McBrien’s “Lives of the Saints,” and, second and third, Robert Ellbergs “All Saints” and “Blessed Among all Women.” Additionally, I would ask those people whom you know are devoted to one or another saint to ask for a recommendation.

As for your second question, we can use the saints lives to spread the word of God best showing, through their lives, how God works in unique ways in each of us. The Saints show us what it means to be holy in “this particular way,” as Karl Rahner said. So they help us to become holy in our own ways. And the stories of the saints always lead us back to the Gospels because all their lives were patterned on, and followed, the life of Christ.

Tagged as: biography, james martin, saints and feasts