Rediscover the Saints: Twenty-Five Questions That Will Change Your Life

by Matthew Kelly

We are capable of so much more than we think. You have no idea what you are capable of. None of us do. God is constantly trying to open our eyes to the amazing possibilities that he has enfolded in our being. The saints continue this work, encouraging us to explore all our God-given potential, not with speeches but with the example of their lives.

When we have the courage to collaborate with God and pursue our truest self, he lights a fire within us that is so bright and warm, it keeps shining long after our days on this earth have come to an end. The lives of the saints have captivated the people of every age for this very reason.

There are two questions that confront the people of every place and time, questions that confront you and me today: Are you satisfied with the direction the world is moving in? Are you satisfied with your life?

These questions are always before us, within us, around us. They are part of our spiritual quest and part of our human quest. These questions linger in our minds when we read the news of happenings in our own country and around the world. They tickle our souls when we witness the battle between good and evil, however it manifests in our own lives.

Are you satisfied with the direction the world is moving in? This is one of life's inescapable questions, and we each respond with passionate action or selfish indifference.

Our collective dissatisfaction with the direction of the world leads to the consensus that the world needs changing. And yet, we seem gripped by exasperation and paralyzed by the false belief that we can't do anything about it. The saints dispel that exasperation and inspire us to bold action. They remind us over and over again: We can change the world.

Genres: Religion, Catholic, Christian, Faith, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Self Help

118 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 2019

About the author

Matthew Kelly is a best-selling author, speaker, thought leader, entrepreneur, consultant, spiritual leader, and innovator.

He has dedicated his life to helping people and organizations become the-best-version-of-themselves. Born in Sydney, Australia, he began speaking and writing in his late teens while he was attending business school. Since that time, 5 million people have attended his seminars and presentations in more than 50 countries.

Today, Kelly is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, and business consultant. His books have been published in more than 30 languages, have appeared on The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller lists, and have sold more than 50 million copies.

In his early-twenties he developed "the-best-version-of-yourself" concept and has been sharing it in every arena of life for more than twenty-five years. It is quoted by presidents and celebrities, athletes and their coaches, business leaders and innovators, though perhaps it is never more powerfully quoted than when a mother or father asks a child, "Will that help you become the-best-version-of-yourself?"

Kelly's personal interests include golf, music, art, literature, investing, spirituality, and spending time with his wife, Meggie, and their children Walter, Isabel, Harry, Ralph, and Simon.

Reviews

[Liv · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Rediscovering Catholicism, but this one isn't as good. I would have loved more in-depth discussion of the lives of the saints. It was a bit superficial and didn't really delve deeply into the topics discussed.

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting two years for this book to come out. This book was mentioned in passing in Rediscover the Rosary: The Modern Power of an Ancient Prayer, and I have been anticipating it since then. It has not let down. This is the 21st book by Kelly that I have read over the last four years. And It is one of the best! There are currently 6 books in the Rediscover series and 5 of the six are still in print.

Rediscover Catholicism
Rediscover Advent
Rediscover Lent
Rediscover Jesus
Rediscover the Rosary
Rediscover the Saints

This book was an excellent read that I could hardly put down. In fact, I read it twice back to back. My first time through I read the book over 2 days. And then I went back and reread it slowly over a week. Highlighting and making notes. I highlighted 71 passages on that second read through. The sections in this book are:

Prologue: The First Saint
Getting Started: Amazing Possibilities
1. Augustine: You Have A Future
2. Walter: An Overwhelming Love
3. Irenaeus: Fully Alive
4. Benedict: Life-Giving Daily Routines
5. Teresa Of Ávila: The First Routine
6. Ignatius: Emotional Intelligence
7. Francis Of Assisi: Dissatisfied
8. Thomas More: The Gentle Voice Within
9. John: Friendship
10. Martha: Our Longing For Belonging
11. Vincent De Paul: God Feeds Us To Feed Others
12. Harry: With Your Whole Heart
13. John Vianney: Disoriented
14. Thomas: We All Have Doubts
15. Bernard: In Search Of Excellence
16. Thérèse Of Lisieux: It’s The Little Things
17. Maximillian Kolbe: I Will Take Your Place
18. Mother Teresa: Truth, Beauty, And Goodness
19. Mary Mckillop: Troubled Times
20. Anthony Of The Desert: Be A Rebel
21. Nicholas: Holding Christmas In Your Heart
22. Mary: Beautiful Surrender
23. Ralph: Love Of Learning
24. James: Do Not Be Afraid
25. All Saints: Now Is Your Time

The subtitle of the book is ‘Twenty-Five Questions That Will Change Your Life’ but in reality, the book has far more then 25 questions. And many of them are deep and penetrating and will stir your heart, your soul, your spirit. Toward the beginning of the ‘Getting Started’ section We are asked:

“Are you satisfied with the direction the world is moving in? Are you satisfied with your life?”

And those are some pretty huge questions. This section actually begins with these words:

“We are capable of so much more than we think. You have no idea what you are capable of. None of us do. God is constantly trying to open our eyes to the amazing possibilities that he has enfolded in our being. The saints continue this work, encouraging us to explore all our God-given potential, not with speeches but with the example of their lives.”

This and the end of the prologue, The First Saint’ both hit me immediately, and hit me both times I read the book. That section is:

“They say every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. If I could lean in close to you and whisper something in your ear, it would be this: “If there are pieces of your past that are weighing you down, it’s time to leave them behind. You are not what has happened to you. You are someone unimaginably greater than you have ever considered, and maybe it’s time to consider all the possibilities that are within you.””

Each of the 25 numbered chapters in this book follow a similar format. The name of a saint, a chapter title, and then a question. The chapter then expands upon that saint and the question. And ends with a prayer. The book is wonderfully written. It is one of those book I will likely reread every year for a season.

This book shows us how God has worked in the lives of the saints. But also, how God is calling us to be saints in the world. The focuses are on becoming the best version of yourself, on recognizing the opportunities to create holy moments, and looking at how God worked through the saints, and can work through us. Not all of the 25 examples are canonized saints. Some are people who were named after saints. But there are lessons we can take from each chapter. And the prayers at the end of the chapters are wonderful. I copied 7 of the 25 to my OneNote prayer collection. And have started praying a few of them daily. The book concluded with these words:

“In every place and time God raises up people to create holy moments. In your place and time, God wants to raise you up. The question is, are you ready to collaborate with him, or are you comfortable letting life continue to pass you by?”

And that is the challenge it will leave withal readers. This is my favorite of the books by Matthew Kelly that I have read. And I know that anyone who reads it prayerfully with an open heart will benefit from the read.

Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Matthew Kelly.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2019 Catholic Reading Plan!

[Christy Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Catholic, I believe that saints are wonderful examples of how to live God’s call. They inspire us to do better. No saint was perfect, even though people think that’s how they became a saint. No, in fact, they had the same struggles we have. They just looked to God and prayed to get through those struggles. Knowing their stories can help to bring clarity to our lives, which is why I read Rediscover the Saints. I thought I was going to learn more about the lives of interesting and holy people. I suppose I did learn some. It just didn’t turn out to be exactly what I wanted.

The book is broken down into chapters focused on different saints. Within each chapter, we get to learn a little background about the life of a saint and how we can learn something from his/her life that is still applicable to our lives today. Mostly, Matthew Kelly writes about his own insights and life. I get he is trying to make the connections seem real to a reader and model how to apply the lessons to our lives, but I didn’t pick this book up to read about Kelly. There is so much to read and learn about the saints and he boils it down to a few lines on each one. It just wasn’t enough to truly rediscover anyone…except Kelly. I will say that the section on St. Kolbe was good and had more detail. I work in a building at a Catholic school that’s named for Kolbe so I found these extra details to be interesting.

I wish this had been set up differently. Kelly could have done a lot more talking about the saint and a lot less talking about himself. I don’t feel hugely inspired after reading the book but I did glean some insights that were good to focus on in my own life.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent "quickie" introduction to life alongside the Saints by Matthew Kelly who continues to gently challenge modern day Catholics-and many others- to follow their Saviour more closely.

[Atlantis · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think I have had a breakthrough with why I do not care for Matthew Kelly’s books. His books lack any edifying critical analysis. His sweeping ambiguous sentences bear no proof of study, no biblical or historical references. He has no index of resources to back up anything that he writes. He tells us things and gives us nothing to help us research for ourselves. We are expected to take his “self-help” Catholicism at his word. Does he consider his word final? Does he not have any biblical works, quotes, or other resources that he can direct to further study other than his own? What reference(s)did he use to do his research on each of the saints in which he categorizes in his book? He does not tell us.

[Vicki · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a series of 25 names of saints and trite lessons to be hypothetically learned from them. However, there is almost no discussion of each saint's life or contributions outside the one major point that is being focused on (and these are not everyday saints...who knows about St. Irenaeus?). Instead, something is said like:

Martha: My childhood parish was St Martha's. Martha did {a thing}, but more importantly, St Martha's was my community as a child. What's your community?

This is not the most tenuous connection in the book. Less focus needed to be spent on having a million saints and more time needed to be spent with each one, delving into their actual lives.

Note: I got this book for free when visiting with my MIL's Catholic Church for Christmas. I would definitely not have picked this up otherwise. I am not Catholic, though I was raised in the faith and have more than a passing familiarity with Catholicism.

[Pop · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a re-read. I recommend it for every Christian, but especially Catholics. It was very hard to put down, even to do the necessary things one must have to do 🤒. I think you know what I mean 🤭

[Linda Pfenning · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like most of Kelly’s works, it is overly general and vague. Inspirational: yes. Friendly: yes. Didactic: not at all. Quick and easy to read, but nothing to be learned here by the already catechized reader.

[Amanda Lauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a quick read. It's not so much about each saint but one fact about each of their lives that you can apply to your own life to become the best version of yourself.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up thinking it was going to contain biographies of selected saints. It ended up being so much more for me. It mostly glosses over a few saints but so much of the book pertained to me. A needed read and very insightful. I will absolutely be keeping this at hand.

[Alaina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. I gave it a 2 star rating because I dont believe it delivers what the title promises. I was hoping to get closer to the saints by learning how they live and what they were like. But this was a book consisting of a diary of saints close to the authors heart. He describes his life and how each saint has helped him. Which I admit, is helpful in it's own way, just not what I was expecting when I cracked this book open. The author also repeats a lot of his own muses and ideas from his previous books so it felt repetitive to me. Nothing new or outstanding.

[Kirstie Elfreich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this new way to read about the saints in short, easy chapters. I would recommend!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rediscover the Saints offered a small introduction to 25 saints and 25 introspective questions about life that were related to the lives of those saints. I enjoyed getting an introduction to certain saints that I would like to explore in greater detail through their own written works.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book to read during Lent. This was another Matthew Kelly book that was given to us at church. It is so interesting to find out that so many saints were just ordinary people like you and I. They talk about when they were younger and how life was as a child. In many cases you will be surprised how things changed for them as they grew up. This was an enjoyable book and gave much incite in how people are called to be holy. Holy moments are just what is needed. The world needs changing; everybody knows that. We need to stop looking for worldly solutions to our spiritual problems. Holy moments are the answer. This is of course my Opinion on the subject. Hope you will enjoy this interesting book about saints and how they became one.

[Ann Ahrens Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book to read alongside Dynamic Catholic’s Best Lent Ever series. I really enjoyed getting to know more about the saints and how their lives can impact my own.

[Chevy · Rating 4 out of 5]

November 1st is all saints day; there are 25 chapters in this book, start it October 1st and try to read every night knowing that no one is perfect.

These short chapters focused on a single saint at a time with brief backgrounds about them. Matthew gives examples of their flawed and achievements and shows just how human they were then questions how we can be more saintlike.

My only negative was how much he reflected on name comparisons from his life; this may have been to try assisting the reader to think about names and people in their own lives but it did nothing but distract me.

This book is still a solid 4 stars with short chapter, inspiration prayers, and the main point- emphasis on the idea that saints were just people doing what God intended and that we all can do it too.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matthew Kelly has done it again...taken subject matter that at times can be intimidating and hard to grasp—and made it accessible and meaningful for a modern audience. Rediscover the Saints provides short reflections on several well and lesser-known saints with a prayer to ponder with each one. Kelly sums it up well in his reflection of St. Anthony of the Desert...

"Lord, Help us to realize that the saints were ordinary people who made themselves available to you. Give us the courage to make ourselves completely available to you, so that together we can collaborate in whatever ways you envision."

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good one

I've enjoyed many of Matthew Kelly's previous books, but they were getting a bit repetitive lately. This one is different and useful and inspiring. He uses some of his favorite saints as launching points and illustrations to discuss ways they inspire us to go further in our walk with God and deeper into holiness. I found that the book got better the further I read, and this is a book that would be a good one to read again and discuss with friends.

[Ms. B · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Pray and work." - St. Benedict
"Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing make you afraid. All things are passing. God alone never changes. Patience gains all things. If you have God you will want for nothing. God alone suffices." - St. Teresa of Ávila
In this slender volume that my Church was giving away at the beginning of Lent, I learned about saints I knew and did not know. This books will give you of nuggets of inspiration for daily living and ideas for future spiritual reading.

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read several of Matthew Kelly's Dynamic Catholic books, and I've been starting to feel that they were sounding repetitive. This one is different in that it reintroduces us to some of our favorite saints and maybe some that you haven't thought of in while - injected with some personal favorites relating to his family. A very quick read and worth the couple of days to pray with the saints.

[Lightthiscandle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick story of several saints along with a questions of how we can use their examples to become better people, and better Christians. With 25 stories, you are likely to find one or several that apply to you and encourage you.

[JJ Cylk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an easy read. At times i wasn’t sure where Kelly was going. I found chapter 22 took be very inspiring from them on he seemed to really be giving allot of content to us. Good Lenten book to contemplate reading again.

[Meg Ponferrada · Rating 5 out of 5]

..this book spells out Hope and Inspiration!! It helps you rediscover your inner being!

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good insight into some of the saints and their lives. I continue to enjoy Matthew Kelley’s books and his reflection s that center around a common theme of being a better Catholic in society.

[Rosy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great and very different book about saints. Nice simple structure, short chapters, profound questions, and great connections to everyday life!

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this to my son for a faith-formation activity for school. It has short, easy to read chapters that worked well for reading at bedtime. We both learned quite a bit about many different saints.

[diann bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthew Kelly always writes books that make you think and brings to the forefront what’s important and pressing in our spiritual lives.

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice series of short reflections on the saints and how their example applies to our lives.

[Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I learned new things about saints I already knew. It will help me be a better person and make better decisions.

[Susan Paxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just the sort of short book parishes hand out during Advent and Lent; Kelly has written a number of reflections on various saints, most of which are bland, but a couple are very deeply moving and thought-provoking. It occurred to me reading this that the book might be perfect for discipleship groups: assign everyone a couple of profiles, come to group, discuss, reflect, pray.