Once upon a time in a far away land, lived two young men,
much like many young men you may know today...
The two brothers were likable, but undisciplined, with a
wild streak in them. Their mischievous behavior turned serious
when they began stealing sheep from the local farmers -- a
serious crime in this pastoral place, so long ago and far away.
In time, the thieves were caught. The local farmers decided
their fate: The two brothers would be branded on the forehead
with the letters ST for "sheep thief." This sign they would
carry with them forevermore.

One brother was so embarrassed by this branding that he ran
away; he was never heard from again.

The other brother, filled with remorse and reconciled to
his fate, chose to stay and try to make amends to the villagers
he had wronged. At first the villagers were skeptical and would
have nothing to do with him. But this brother was determined to
make reparation for his offenses.

Whenever there was a sickness, the sheep thief came to care
for the ill with soup and a soft touch. Whenever there was work
needing to be done, the sheep thief came to help with a lending
hand. It made no difference if the person were rich or poor,
the sheep thief was there to help. Never accepting pay for his
good deeds, he lived his life for others.

Many years later, a traveler came through the village.
Sitting at a sidewalk cafe eating lunch, the traveler saw an old
man with a strange brand on his forehead seated nearby. The
stranger noticed that all the villagers who passed the old man
stopped to share a kind word, to pay their respects; children
stopped their play to give and receive a warm hug.
Curious, the stranger asked the cafe owner, "What does that
strange brand on the old man's head stand for?"
"I don't know. It happened so long ago..." the cafe owner
replied. Then, pausing briefly for a moment of reflection, he
continued: "...but I think it stands for 'saint'."

~~Author Unkown~~