--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Saints are what they are not because…" description: "\"Saints are what they are not because their sanctity makes them admirable to others, but because the gift of sainthood makes it possible for them to adm..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4e/thomas-merton-231_admirable_saints-are-what-they-are-not-because-the_1391727.jpg" --- # Saints are what they are not because their sanctity makes… ![“Saints are what they are not because their sanctity makes them admirable to others, but because the gift of sainthood makes it possible for them to admire everyone else.” quote by Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4e/thomas-merton-231_admirable_saints-are-what-they-are-not-because-the_1391727.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4e/thomas-merton-231_admirable_saints-are-what-they-are-not-because-the_1391727.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4e/thomas-merton-231_admirable_saints-are-what-they-are-not-because-the_1391727.jpg) > “Saints are what they are not because their sanctity makes them admirable to others, but because the gift of sainthood makes it possible for them to admire everyone else.” [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sainthood is a gift that enables admiration of others, not the other way around. **In simple terms:** Sainthood allows one to admire everyone. Key Takeaway Recognize humility as a gift. Themes spirituality humility admirations Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - personal growth - community service - leadership Key Concepts theology psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does humility affect relationships? - Can admiration be cultivated without sainthood? A Different Perspective Humility can be mistaken for weakness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admirable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admirable/) [Admire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admire/) [Gift Sainthood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gift-sainthood-4852445/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Sainthood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sainthood/) [Sainthood Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sainthood-makes-4852444/) [Saints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saints/) [Saints Sanctity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saints-sanctity-4852446/) [Sanctity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanctity/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [People have no idea what one saint can do: for sanctity is stronger than the whole of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/people-have-no-idea-what-one-saint-can-do-for-sanctity-is-stronger/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The simplest and most effective way to sanctity is to disappear into the background of ordinary every day routine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-simplest-and-most-effective-way-to-sanctity-is-to-disappear-into-2/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [For me to be a saint means to be myself. Therefore the problem of sanctity and salvation is in fact the problem of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/for-me-to-be-a-saint-means-to-be-myself-therefore-the-problem-of/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [It is true to say that for me sanctity consists in being myself and for you sanctity consists of being yourself and that, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/it-is-true-to-say-that-for-me-sanctity-consists-in-being-myself-and/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [It is not humility to insist on being someone that you are not. 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Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) [Browse all 398 Admirable quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admirable/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Saints are what they are not because their sanctity makes them admirable to others, but because the gift of sainthood makes it possible for them to admire everyone else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Merton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/saints-are-what-they-are-not-because-their-sanctity-makes-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Admirable" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/saints-are-what-they-are-not-because-their-sanctity-makes-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4e/thomas-merton-231_admirable_saints-are-what-they-are-not-because-the_1391727.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4e/thomas-merton-231_admirable_saints-are-what-they-are-not-because-the_1391727.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4e/thomas-merton-231_admirable_saints-are-what-they-are-not-because-the_1391727.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Saints are what they are not because their sanctity makes them admirable to others, but because the gift of…” — Thomas Merton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Merton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Saints are what they are not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/saints-are-what-they-are-not-because-their-sanctity-makes-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/saints-are-what-they-are-not-because-their-sanctity-makes-them/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```