Lesson of the Week: The Path of Holiness

Fr. Albertus Magnus Herwanta, O.Carm

Introduction

God created man in his image. Since he is holy, each man takes part in his holiness. Even deeper, all is called to be holy. "You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy" (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:16). Holiness has a similar meaning to wholeness and perfection.

The Catholic Church believes that everyone is called to holiness or perfection. "All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity." All are called to holiness: "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2013).

How do I reach holiness?

The only way to reach holiness is to do God's will. What does God want us to do? We are to listen to Him and observe his commandments. Here is God's commandment: "Hear, O Israel! The LORD, our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:4).

We read it in the first reading of our thirty-first Sunday liturgy of the word. Jesus calls it the first and greatest commandments. However, he adds the second commandment: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31).

The teaching of love includes three parties: God, neighbor, and self. Our love for God is strongly connected to our love for our neighbor and ourselves. Saint John reminds us that those who do not love their visible brothers cannot love the invisible God (1 Yohanes 4:20). In order to love God, someone has to love his neighbor.

Challenges to love

The challenges to loving God often come from the fact that we have to love our neighbor. It is much easier to love those who are far away. But it is not the case when we love those who live together with us. How many complaints and sighs do we have when we have to do it?

As long as we rely on our own, this appears very difficult and almost impossible. That's why we need God's grace so that we can love. Here, it is obvious that the first most important thing is God. We can love God and our neighbor because God has already loved us (1 Yohanes 4:19).

Although this commandment seems difficult, it is possible to practice it. Our Jesus Christ has given a real example. He showed his unconditional love and self-sacrifice on the cross. He had to battle against his own will in order to do His Father's will. In other words, there is no love without the cross.

The Catholic Church teaches about it. "The way to perfection passes by way of the cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2015).

In progress towards holiness

Nobody is perfect. The gospel reminds us of our call to perfection. Each one of us is still in progress towards perfection. Every day we are called to take steps to move closer to perfection. Catholic saints give us examples of how to persevere in this way. Through their struggle and the grace of God, they reach perfection. We find it very clearly in the life of Saint Therese of Lisieux. She finally found that her vocation is love. She gives us a real example that God helps us in our weaknesses so that we can reach holiness.