The Prologue gives the theme and purpose of this book. “Our goal is the same. We each play a part
of student and teacher. Somewhere along our journey, we are awakened by someone or something that inspires us, lights a fire inside, and gives us the gift of truth. And, like other gifts, we can’t just keep it to ourselves. It is not enough to hear the truth; we must take responsibility for it. We must take action. We must pass it on. We must pay it forward. For it is only in giving the gift away that it truly begins to bear fruit within us. My prayer is that this book will be that
gift for you.”
The first five chapters are entitled: Know you are in a war, Know your enemy, Free yourself, Have a shield, and Have a sword. Chapter six is called “Fighting the Good Fight.”
The author believes that the biggest problem in becoming a saint is an identity crises; we have forgotten
our mission and our story as Catholics. John Wood hopes his readers his readers will rediscover the mission and will hold one another responsible for the mission. He urges readers to stop talking and start walking, stop crying and start sweating, stop identifying self as sinner and see self as a saint in the making. Everything necessary to accomplish the mission is found within the Church.
Some will see the Church as a sleeping giant. It needs to be awakened by persons who are willing to use the God-given gifts with compassionate and generous hearts. Daily prayer is an absolute necessity for all those who sincerely desire to become saints.
At the end of the book John Wood urges his readers to not only finish the race of life, but to finish it with nothing
left to give. “You have been given a gift; do not keep it for yourself. To fulfill its purpose, you must give it away.” He reminds his readers of these words of St. Catherine of Siena: “If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze.”
John Wood completes his book with these words of wisdom: “Become what you should be. Become a
saint.”
