Theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar wrote that the saints constitute the most important message of the Gospel, its actualization in daily life, and therefore represent for us a real means of access to Jesus.

The French writer Jean Guitton described them "as the colors of the spectrum in relation to light," because with their tones and accents each one of them reflects the light of God’s holiness.

How important and useful, therefore, is the commitment to cultivate knowledge of and devotion to the saints, alongside daily meditation on the Word of God and filial love for Our Lady….

Their human and spiritual experience shows that holiness is not a luxury. It is not a privilege for the few, an impossible goal for an ordinary person. It is actually the common destiny of all people called to be children of God, the universal vocation of all the baptized. Holiness is offered to all.

Naturally not all the saints are equal. In fact, as I said, they are the spectrum of divine light.

Moreover, a saint who possesses extraordinary charisms is not necessarily a great saint. Indeed, there are a great many whose names are known only to God because on earth they led an apparently normal life. And precisely these "normal" saints are those habitually desired by God.

Their example testifies that only when we are in touch with the Lord can we be filled with his peace and his joy and be able to spread serenity, hope, and optimism everywhere.

Bernanos, a great French writer, who was always fascinated by the idea of the saints—he mentions many in his novels—considering the variety of their charisms, notes that "every saint’s life is like a new blossom in spring."

May this also happen for us. Let us therefore permit ourselves to be attracted by the supernatural fascination of holiness. May Mary, Queen of all saints, Mother and Refuge of sinners, obtain this grace for us!

—Excerpted from a catechesis at a general audience at Castel Gandolfo, August 20, 2008