Beautiful Souls

Young people need models of the faith. They need to see “beautiful souls.” I’m privileged in my position of service to the Church to encounter so many faith-filled and beautiful souls, young and old. In the retreats I’ve lead over the years, I’ve done my best to bring these beautiful souls into contact with our young people so that they can see concretely the joy and beauty that is present when one is in deep communion with Christ. We all need models of the faith. They inspire us, challenge us, and encourage us. Blessed Cardinal Newman spoke of the “unconscious attractiveness of holiness.” We are drawn to such examples and inspired to aspire to be the same. Allow me to share just a few examples that I’ve been blessed to see: 

The 17 year old who every day drives a 93 year old to the 7AM Mass. 
The 35 year old husband and father who would come home from his engineering job on his lunch hour to watch the kids so his wife could go spend some time in Eucharistic Adoration. 
The 59 year old man who regularly stops by the chapel as part of his work day to spend some time with our Lord. 
The 74 year old who rises around 430am each morning to pray his Rosary. 
The 17 year old student who turned down a job offer because he would have been forced to work every Sunday, the Lord’s day. 
The 50-60 people who gather each morning at 7AM for daily Mass. 
The 93 year old who leads the Rosary every single day after Mass. 

Thomas Merton had a line “They were all shining like the sun”, as he saw Christ’s presence so beautifully radiated in the souls he encountered. May we each shine like the sun, and in turn see that same Christ-like model in the souls we encounter! And may others be drawn closer to Christ because of you! 
God bless you! Phil Lawson, MTS 
Pastoral Associate