What Makes a Saint Great?

I can almost guarantee that if you ask any child (possibly well into teenage years) what they want to be when they grow up, you are not going to hear, “a saint.” Similarly, if you ask an adult how they want to be remembered, you most likely will not hear “as a saint.”

One of my favorite memories of being in church on All Saints Sunday was the year children of the congregation we attended dressed up as different people from the beloved hymn “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God.” They marched, unexpectedly, into the service, processing up and down the aisles, and then exited singing at the top of their lungs. Some even knew the words.

Now those saints named in the song—doctor, lawyer, princess— are answers that you might hear. 

Every year I say, “If your goal is to become a saint, you probably won’t be.”

Today we remember not just a saint, but a saint with the extra title “the great.”

Gregory the Great was born around 540 into a politically wealthy family. Early in adulthood he was named Prefect of Rome, which is a high-ranking appointed office. Probably surprising his family and friends, he very quickly resigned that office and began living as a monk. This meant living in poverty; can you imagine giving up all the power he must have had by choice?

Gregory did.

When he was 50 years old the Pope died of the plague and Gregory was elected successor. During his papacy, he did many things. He founded a school to train church musicians. Some of those musicians named a style of chant after him—Gregorian chant. He was very organized and sought to bring that organization to the church. He established what we would now call the lectionary. His organization lasted for over 1000 years!

Gregory cared deeply for people, and he wrote the book On Pastoral Care to help teach other priests. In this book, he explained how and why to care for the people in their parishes.

Gregory wanted to be a missionary to England, but he needed to stay in Rome. Instead of pouting and fussing that he couldn’t do what he wanted, he sent others. Not only did he send others, but he wrote many, many letters encouraging them and thanking them for their service. 

All of these things, and others, are great reasons for the Catholic church to add “the Great” to his name. Personally, I think what made him “great,” is that he just did what needed to be done—especially when there was no one else to do it. He didn’t say, “it’s not my job” or ask why others wouldn’t step up. He didn’t complain that he was always the one who had to do it. He didn’t say that was a job for someone less important than he was. He saw a need and did what he had to meet it. 

In my life, it is easy to get frustrated with all the things I have to do. It’s REALLY frustrating when I have a plan and something gets in the way or someone doesn’t do what they were supposed to, so I have to finish the job. 

And I do complain, grumble, and fuss at people who aren’t doing what I think they should do. 

I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say Gregory the Great is their favorite saint, but he has so much to teach us. I think I’ll spend the next month practicing to live as Gregory the Great did. 

And I wonder if more of us did that, how much the world would change?