Sainthood

"These are they who have put off mortal clothing and have put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God.  Now they are being crowned and receive palms."
(2 Esdras 2:45)
This passage describes to us what it means to be a saint.  Many times, we forget that there is much more to the person than what is depicted in the portraits.  Despite the fact that we have so many portrayals of these saints, we forget that these portraits contain a life story behind them.  Paul goes into excruciating detail by explaining the different execution methods.
And yet, where do we lie?  Why do we pray to celebrate together with all of the saints?  If we can celebrate the same way the saints do, what makes us saints?
First and foremost, Jesus reminds us that the saints are very much living indeed by saying that God is the God of the living.  But there's more to that statement.  Aside from the resurrection of our souls in the end time, we must prepare our ways to become saints. We need to act for God in order to become saints.  Now, that does not mean that we need to live spotless lives.  If we ever doubt that, just look at Paul's life and conversion in Acts.  In fact, the only reason why certain lives are remembered is because some have some drastic stories, usually involving some form of execution.  However, that does not meant that each one of us does not live a "saint's life," filled with temptation, tribulation, and trepidation.
No, what we need to do is follow God by preaching the gospel far and wide in all the different ways we know.  Dance the gospel, sing the gospel, listen to the gospel, proclaim the gospel, live the gospel.  By keeping the gospel of love in our hearts, we will be among the saints, praising God in every moment of every day.