“No eye has seen, no ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

What is Saint Paul saying in these words? You cannot even imagine what God has in mind for you. Everything good in this world and the next flows from the goodness of God. God your Father created the universe for you. And like any good father, God has a dream for you. God wants you to become the-best-version-of-yourself and return to him in Heaven when the time comes.

God revealed this dream to Saint Fabian in a way that everyone could see.

In 236 AD, a papal conclave assembled to elect the next pope. Fabian was there as a layperson simply to witness the event, but then a dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, landed on his head. All eyes turned upon Fabian, and the clergy unanimously elected him as pope.

Pope Fabian stepped up to the challenge and delivered exactly what the Church needed: organization. He divided Rome into seven districts, and preserved the records of the martyrs. Perhaps he had an intuition he would one day join them.

In 250 AD, Emperor Decius required all citizens to sacrifice to the Roman gods. Fabian refused. He was soon arrested and executed.

Many would consider this a tragic ending. But Christian hope allows us to see that it was not an ending at all. God welcomed Fabian into Heaven, where such goodness awaits us that the human mind cannot fathom it.

God’s essential dream for you is the same as for Saint Fabian: He wants you to become a saint. You may not be miraculously elected pope or become a martyr, but you can become all God created you to be right where you are.



Feast Day: January 20

Feast Day Shared by: Saint Sebastian

Patron Saint of: Rome

Symbols: Dove