Why we have fewer saints today

If

Sometimes, when the world is quiet outside, I read some of the lives of the Saints. I am always inspired and amazed by their bravery and dedication to God and the Church.

Image if St. Benedict were alive today. Would have have made it?Imagine this scenario. F is the father. A: is the police

"Hello police, this is Benedict's father, I understand you found him?"

A: Yes he was caught outside of Rome with some friends, They have no place to stay and are looking for a place to stay. They have no money and are begging on the streets. We arrested them for vagrancy. Vagabonds are not good for the economy

F: Vagabonds!! That boy, he has a home! He has servants..I sent him to study and this is how he repays me, he is a runaway! Our children are grief officer, his tuition was a fortune. His mother will be devastated!

A: Well he told us he has no home, he and his friends are in custody for their safety.

F He is ungrateful and a liar..ask his maid I sent with him

A He fired her

F How could he do that, I was paying her

A We interviewed him and contacted a psychologist who specializes in runaways, he did a report shall I summarize

F Please do, I am going to kill him when he comes home!

The police officer clears his throat as he begins to read

A: Yes he is clearly delusional, he wants to run away and he wants to find a remote place where he can pray and grow close to God. His friends agree with him. It is likely they are under the influence of drugs. During this interview your son insisted on the evil in the world, of what he called sin and how he must isolate and suffer to please God.

F: He is under a spell, is it drinking?

A No it appears from the report to be a severe personality disorder.

F So he is mad?

A The report seems to think he suffers from delusions of grandeur. narcissistic personality disorder, and period of wild energy

F The conclusion

A He likely has paranoid schizophrenia

F So there is no cure

A Well no, but for the good of society he is currently in a psychiatric hospital receiving treatment

F How long?

A Likely the rest of his life but he is safe

F So my son Benedict my brilliant son, my hope?

A Sadly the report concludes he is insane.

So today, it is likely that heroic saints in the making, would be met with suspicion and drug treatments. Can you imagine the fate of an anchorite

Bishop: That is correct Holy Father, she came in the night. Knocked a hole in the wall, crawled in made a small hole for air I suppose and plastered herself inside! It is ruining the atmosphere of this church, which as your Holiness knows is in the heart of Rome!

Pope: Well Rome has plenty of churches and plenty of visitors what is the problem

Bishop: The problem is people can hear her praying and they imagine it is a ghost

Pope: Tell them it is an alien from a UFO that will greatly increase revenue

Bishop: I believe she made a hole inside and is using it as a latrine

Pope: Oh my holy S***.

Bishop: My thoughts precisely Holy Father

Pope: It will need to be at night, call the police, have a psychologist on hand and out of charity place her in a locked ward where she can receive the medication she so badly needs.

These are of course, imaginary but we live in a materialistic world that has no room for spirituality, the faith or sacrifice. The faith that built the great cathedrals, the monastic communities and the willness to suffer for Christ have all but vanished. They are replaced by a lukewarm faith emboldened by comfort. It is considered extreme to go to daily Mass. God is a nice idea but our earthly kingdom takes precedence. God can wait, he does not need for us to be so extreme as in the lives of the saints or the holy martyrs. In the office of Prime, there is always a martyrology. The tortures inflicted upon holy men and women and children is horrific. Surely our modern church has no need for heros or saints! We can work out our sanctity on the internet, and through our posts.