The inrushing of faith, hope, and love – the life of Jesus within us – can so transfigure the natural moral form that the authentic saint is anything but gentlemanly, moderate, and refined in his manner, anything but tolerant or unwilling to inflict pain. One only has to think of Francis of Assisi, Joan of Arc, Augustine, Jerome, and Paul the apostle to see the truth of this claim. It is this difference that I find fascinating, this added element that transforms the naturally good person into a friend of God.

The Priority of Christ