If there’s a saint you need to know about as a single Catholic, it’s Saint Pope John Paul II. During his time here on earth, he taught Catholics about the importance of authentic love between men and women. He urged Catholics to open their hearts to Christ and strive for sainthood.
If you’re feeling discouraged in your life as a Catholic single, turn to Pope John Paul II. His wisdom can provide hope during seasons of desolation. He spoke beautifully about both the beauty of love and the challenges of living a life of virtue in today’s world.
Here are eight quotes from Pope John Paul II to offer you a boost of encouragement when you’re feeling alone or disheartened in this season of life.
When you need a boost of courage
“Do not be afraid. Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
When it seems like Jesus is saying “no” in prayer
“Jesus does not say ‘no’ to the authentic demands of the heart, but only a clear, loud ‘yes’ to life, to love, to freedom, to peace and to hope. With Him no goal is impossible and even a small act of generosity grows and can lead to change.”
When you’re tempted to run away from God’s will
“Faced with problems and disappointments, many people will try to escape from their responsibility: escape in selfishness, escape in sexual pleasure, escape in drugs, escape in violence, escape in indifference and cynical attitudes. But today, I propose to you the option of love, which is the opposite of escape. If you really accept that love from Christ, it will lead you to God.”
When you’re overwhelmed by the state of the world
“We do not pretend that life is all beauty. We are aware of darkness and sin, of poverty and pain. But we know Jesus has conquered sin and passed through his own pain to the glory of the Resurrection. And we live in the light of his Paschal Mystery – the mystery of his Death and Resurrection. We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song!”
When you’re lonley
“Remember that you are never alone, Christ is with you on your journey every day of your lives! He has called you and chosen you to live in the freedom of the children of God. Turn to him in prayer and in love. Ask him to grant you the courage and strength to live in this freedom always. Walk with him who is ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’!”
When you’re struggling with chastity
“Chastity is a difficult, long-term matter; one must wait patiently for it to bear fruit, for the happiness of loving kindness which it must bring. But at the same time, chastity is the sure way to happiness.”
When you need encouragement to evangelize
“Be generous in answering Jesus’ call inviting you to put out into the deep and become His witnesses, discovering the trust He puts in you to devise a future together with Him. Above all, to fulfill this mission the Church is entrusting to you requires that you cultivate a genuine life of prayer nourished by the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Confession.”
When you need a reminder about what your heart is really seeking
“It is Jesus you seek when you dream of happiness; he is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; he is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is he who provokes you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; he who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is he who reads in your hearts your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle.
It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be grounded down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.”
Save these quotes from Pope John Paul II and revisit them the next time you need some Heavenly encouragement in this season of singleness.
Saint Pope John Paul II, pray for us!
