Do Christians in heaven dislike being given the title “Saint”?

Recently a friend of mine, a solid Christian of whom I have a deep respect for his love of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teachings found in Scripture, brought up the objection that perhaps it is wrong for the Catholic Church to give those past Christians who have lived heroically holy lives, the title “Saint.” His reasoning was that if they were truly humble, they would not want to be given this title. By calling them saints we are actually offending them. I'm guessing that he had in mind such verses as when Jesus said to call no man father, rabbi, or teacher (Mt. 23:8,9), which could at first glance be taken as Jesus condemning the practice of using titles to honor people. Is it wrong for the Catholic Church to declare a dead Christian to be a Saint? Are these Christians who have been given this title offended?

To begin, we need to take a closer look at Jesus teaching on titles. When this passage is read in context it is clear that he is not giving a blanket condemnation of titles, but instead using hyperbole in order to condemn the pride of the pharisees who liked to exalt themselves in their titles. We know this for two reasons. First, because common sense tells us that when a little girl calls her dad “Father” or when she goes to school and calls her instructor “Teacher” she is not violating Jesus teaching. Second, because Paul used titles continually (1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim 2:11; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph 4:11). So, there is nothing wrong with titles, unless one is using them to exalt himself.

Next, is wrong to give the title of “Saint” to past Christians who have lived heroically virtuous lives? In other words is it wrong to honor others with titles such as the Catholic Church does? From the above discussion we know that titles are not wrong unless they are used for prideful and selfish aggrandizement. So, the real question is, is it wrong to honor others whether that be with titles or in other ways? An easy way to answer this is by looking at God's command to children: “Honor your parents.” Have you ever heard a child call his mother or father by first name and this made you wince? Why? Because our parents deserve to be honored. We honor them with titles: Mother, Father, Grandfather, Grandmother. However this is true not only with parents, but also with religious leaders. God told Moses: “Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron [the high priest], to give him dignity and honor” (Ex. 28:2). “Let the elders [priests] who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” (1 Tim. 5:17). Christ promised special blessings to those who honor religious figures: “He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a righteous man [saint] because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward” (Matt. 10:41). As far as I can tell, there is nothing in Scripture that teaches that it is wrong to honor a person by calling him a saint.

Man Up: Be the Dad God has Called You to Be

A reflection for Father's Day by Father Philip Mayer

Men, do you know the immense influence that you have simply because you are a man? I have an uncle who doesn't seem like much: He's mean. He criticizes his wife and grown kids. He's selfish. And yet he is influential. It's almost mystifying. Recently he decided to retire and move to the hill country of Tennessee. Amazingly, his kids and their wives and children are in the process getting things arranged so that they too can move with him. This is the second time that they will follow him across the country. It is amazing. Why does he have this influence? Why do they follow him? Because of his amazing personality? No. Because he has money. No, he's only just making it by himself. Because Tennessee is a great place to be? No, there are no jobs in the area that he wants them to move to. And yet they are following him. He has this influence because he is the father of his family.

You as a man have been given an incredible privilege. As a man and as a father you symbolize God, who chose to go by this same title, Father. As a father you have tremendous influence on your family, whether for good or bad. A study recently conducted in Switzerland (1994) showed that if a man attends church regularly, even though his wife does not, his kids will go on to become church attenders eighty percent of the time. However, if the scenario is reversed, and the mother is a regular church attender but the father is not, the number is cut in half and of those who do attend, most will be irregular attenders. Only two percent will attend regularly. Men, you have an immense amount of influence given to you by God. This has been show time and time again, by study after study after study on the affect of the male influence on the family. As a father, you reflect God in a special way and as a father God has given you tremendous power over the future of your children. He has placed their souls into your hands and even allowed you to use his name: Father. This is an immense responsibility, a sacred trust that we must use well.

Do you want your kids to have the values taught by the Church? Do you want them to stand by their families? Do you want them to be willing to suffer in order to do what is right? Do you want them to show courage in the face of temptation? Do you want them to show persistence, consistency and trustworthiness? These are all values taught in the church, exemplified to the ultimate degree by Jesus Christ, the one who called you to man up give your all in the same way that he did. You as a man must exemplify what it means to live a godly lifestyle. You must be the one to show your dedication to your kids and your family. You are the one that they look to for meaning. You are the one they look to when first learning about God. To whom much has been given, much will be required. God will call you to account. He will ask you what you did not only with your own soul, but with those he placed in your charge. If you sin against him by refusing the responsibility of this charge, he will refuse you for eternity.

Yet there is hope. There is forgiveness. That is what Father's Day is all about. It is a day when we are reminded who God has called you to be: a father who reflects him and who he is, to your family. That is why he gave you this influence. There is yet time to get things right. There's time to make up for past mistakes. To find your hope in him, to learn what it means to be a father from him and to live this out for those he has given you responsibility. This is your opportunity to be the father that God has called you to be. This is what your family wants from you. This is what I as your priest, want for you. This is what God requires from you and he will be with you, giving you the courage and the strength and endurance to be the father that he has created you to be.