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I T ' S NOT WHAT YOU G I V E UP .

I T ' S WHO YOU BECOME .

CA THO L I C . DUKE . EDU / L EN T

If you've ever found yourself annoyed or confusedabout why some Catholics seem to have a favorite saintor two, it might be time for you to explore becomingfriends with a saint yourself! I don’t mean just learningabout a saint, but really forging a relationship. After all,the saints aren't people to be observed from afar, butholy pals we can actually have a relationship with.

SAINT FRIENDS MEET US WHERE WE ARE

& HELP US GROW

The saints are real people with real stories, not unlikeour own.

The saints can relate to us at our weakest and push ushigher at our strongest.

Struggling to overcome the same old sins? SaintAugustine and St. Mark Ji Tianxiang have been there,too. Ready for greatness? Saint Maximilian Kolbe andSt. Ignatius of Loyola will give you something to fightfor. Want to glorify God with your humor? BlessedMiguel Pro is your guy. Having a hard time forgivingsomeone who hurt you — really, really hurt you? SaintMaria Goretti gets it.

The saints can seem really intimidating. But the saintsshow us our destiny: to become like Christ, yetuniquely ourselves.

F I N D Y O U R S A I N TADD NEW FR I ENDS TO YOUR SUPPORT TEAM

S o u r c e : L i f e T e e n B l o gA u t h o r : M e l i s s a G r i f f i t h

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NEW F R I ENDS

TIPS FOR FINDING AND KNOWING YOUR SAINT

FRIEND(S)

Find a saint who intrigues you. Is there a saint whosparks your curiosity or makes you uncomfortable?How about a patron saint of something you love? Asaint with a goofy name or similar struggles as you? Asaint you’re resisting getting to know, or a saint you justdon’t “get”? Let these questions drive you deeper

into who they are. They are perfect “conversationstarters” for befriending the saints!

Don’t just collect saint names. It’s better to deeplyknow and love one or two saints than to superficially“know of” dozens. Pick the one or two saints whointrigue or inspire you and get to know them.

Invest. Start by reading their story online andintentionally invoking their intercession in prayer witha simple, “St.___, pray for us.” Go deeper by picking upa biography or, better yet, something they wrote. Trypraying a novena for their intercession. Let theirspirituality and service inspire you in your own life,perhaps by making an offering to merciful love like St.Therese , incorporating silence into your life like St.Joseph, using media for evangelization like St.Maximilian Kolbe, or striving to feel with the Churchand lift up the poor in your community like St. OscarRomero.

Read about their early life. Often times, seeing thesaints when they were young is all it takes to collapsethe distance between us because we see that, inmany ways, we aren’t that different. This can also giveus insights into how to follow Christ as young people.

Seek out their advice. This is a great way to invite asaint into your life more intimately and vulnerably. Asyou pray for their intercession, you can look to theirlife for insight into your own and often to theirwritings to see what they really would have said in agiven situation.

The saints are already pursuing you. They’rehumble and don’t draw attention to themselves, but ifyou pay attention, you will begin to notice the saintsare walking with you already!

L e f t t o r i g h t : S t . J o h n P a u l I I , B l . C a r l oA c u t i s , S t . J o s e p h i n e B a k h i t a

L e f t t o r i g h t : B l . P i e r G i o r g i o F r a s s a t i , S t .M a r t i n d e P o r r e s , S t . E d i t h S t e i n

Sometimes we have the will to change but we're not surehow to begin or what resources to start with. This list won'tgive you your WHY, but it can offer you your HOW.

1 | PRAY AS YOU GO [PRAY]

There's a reason we come back to this again and again asa great way to begin integrating prayer into your dailyroutine. It's simple, it's guided, and it's less than 15minutes. Download the app, use the website, or listen tothe podcast. It literally doesn't get easier.

2 | HALLOW APP [PRAY]

The #1 Catholic prayer app out there. There is so much toexplore here. Think of it like Headspace (the meditationapp) but for Catholic meditation instead! There arepaid levels but the free content is still phenomenal.

3 | FORMED.ORG [LEARN]

With many incredibly shot and spiritually inspiring videoseries (The Search, Wild Goose, Symbolon, etc.) this isGREAT resource if you want to learn more about yourfaith this Lenten season. The DCC has a parish dealwhere you can make an account for free and watch/listento any of the content.

4 | PEOPLE [LEARN/GROW]

Between YouTube, websites, podcasts, and blogs, hereare some of the folks we recommend to everyone: Fr.Mike Schmitz (YouTube), Bishop Barron (YT & website),Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (YT & podcast), and ourfriends at Grotto Network (website).

P A U S E . B R E A T H E . B E S T I L L .

Bring your attention to your breath for a few cycles.Inhale deeply and settle yourself into your body.Exhale any stress and tension you may feel.

On your next inhale, pray, BE STILLAs you exhale, pray, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD*

Keep breathing this prayer for a few moments.(Repeat the prayer several times)

Conclude, praying: Even now, God you are with me,as near to me as my breath. Call me each day topause, breathe, and know that you are with me.

*Some like to change the words to "and know that You are God," as if speaking to God himself. It's a personal preferencethough, so do whatever feels right in the moment of the prayer. :)

4 S P I R I T U A L T O O L S

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NEW TOO L S

THE S IMPLEST PRAYER EVER ?

"Be still, and know that Iam God; I will be exaltedamong the nations, I willbe exalted in the earth."

Psalm 46:10

F I N D I N G A L E N T E N

P E N A N C EInstead of arbitrarily giving up something you think you indulge in toomuch, think about some grace or gift that would really help you grow inyour relationship with Jesus.

Then, tailor your penance to that need. Maybe it's giving something up,or perhaps it's adding something in. (Or both!)

Patience starts internally. Commit to sitting in 5minutes of silence each morning or evening. Slowlygrow that time to 10, 15, or 20 minutes.

Don’t use your phone when you’re waiting forsomeone or standing in line – these little distractionshave a way of making us feel like we deserve instantgratification & increase impatience. Instead, try prayingfor the person in front of you in line.

Commit to something spiritual that requires you to make agift of yourself: serving at Mass, joining a Small Group, orvolunteering to help those most impacted by the pandemic.

Take inventory of your weekly discretionary spending(HeavBuff orders, scooter rides, etc.). Take 10% of that andmultiply by the number of weeks in Lent (hint: 6). Commit todonating that amount to the poor this Lent.**

“Jesus, I want to receive the gift of your peace ratherthan continuing to live in a spirit of anxiety.”

Give up social media as a way to free your heart from thevoice of comparison.

Write down 3 things you’re thankful for in the morningand 3 things in the evening.

“Jesus, please give me the gift of heroic patiencewith situations and people I encounter.”

“Jesus, please give me the gift of deeper love for you.”

Every day, spend 10 minutes in the morningmeditating on Jesus’ words in the daily Gospel.

Don’t listen to music for all of Lent so that you canspend more time talking with Jesus while you gothrough your day.

“Jesus, please give me the gift of a heart that isself-emptying like yours.”

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MAKE A P LAN

**We'll be having two special collections during Lent. One tofund emergency supplies, hygiene kits, and health exams forfamilies in developing countries and one for feeding familiesof 4 through the Durham Community Food Bank.