I have never believed in the sanctity of the people who are called “secular saints”. It is said that they lead a life of integrity, and at the same time are professed atheists. But through St Paul the Holy Spirit says that his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made (Rom 1:20). Hence, at best they will respect some precepts of the natural law (not all, since the natural law obliges us to accept the existence of God), but their lives do not give light, since they have separated themselves from the light of Christ, lux vera, quae illuminat omnem hominem (John 1:9), the true light which gives light to everyone.

Imitating Jesus Christ

So, as I was saying, we have to imitate Jesus Christ, in order to make him known with our lives. We know that Christ became man in order to lead all men and women into the divine life, so that, by uniting ourselves to him, we might individually and socially live God’s life. Hear what St John says: non enim misit Deus Filium suum in mundum ut iudicet mundum, sed ut salvetur mundus per ipsum (John 3:17); God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.