“I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” Jesus told the disciples (Luke 12:49).
These radical women saints got that. They lived it, and they didn’t care whether it cost them earthly love or respect. They did so in a world that looked much like ours. Many of these saints took trains, rode in cars or airplanes, received telegrams, talked on phones, watched television and movies, and perhaps a few knew their way around a computer. All were photographed, and many were filmed as they shared their radicalness. They had an awareness of some—not all, but some—of the modern-day distractions that, when not used in moderation, threaten to crowd out room for God. And while they may not have taken selfies and had social media accounts, I think it’s a pretty safe bet that if they had, they wouldn’t have been checking likes and shares at prayer, meals, or time with their loved ones.