Holiness. How does this word sound to you? Is it a term you understand? Or does it seem like a cliché, an unrealistic ideal, or something reserved only for those in monasteries or the religious and priests?
Growing up, I used to identify holiness with monks and nuns wearing solemn-looking cassocks or habits. This imagery from popular literature on holiness was what I had as a child. But as I grew older, I began to see holiness in other places too. In the kindness of a stranger, in the love of a parent, in the forgiveness of a friend. I realized that holiness wasn’t just for those in religious orders. It was for everyone.
What Holiness is Not
Holiness is not a privilege reserved for a select few but a universal call that extends to everyone, including you. This idea is not just my belief but a truth affirmed by the Church’s official documents and the Bible. Yet, the path to holiness can often seem unclear, requiring us to seek understanding and guidance.
Sometimes, we suppose it’s about keeping the disciplines of our faith and meeting all the requirements of the law, like the rich young man in the Bible (Mark 10:17-27). And while these things are vital, they are not the end goal. They are a necessary first step to holiness. Holiness is a journey towards and within someone—God. It is our total embrace of God and a commitment to align our will with His. It is the transformation of our lives from within by the grace of God, who pours His love for us. We detach from what distracts us from the Lord and attach to Him and His ways.
Only God is Holy
Only God is holy, just as only God is good. Holiness belongs to God. To be holy, it must be a union with God, a deep and intimate relationship with Him, who is holiness itself. This union is not just a casual acquaintance, but a deep and abiding connection. It’s about knowing God, and being known by Him. It’s about living in His presence, and allowing His love to transform us.
Holiness is not something we have to search for in distant places. It’s right here, in our everyday lives, if we know where to look.
Holiness has a hub and a circle. The closer we get to it, and indeed within it, we find what it means to be holy.
God is holy (see Leviticus 11:44-45; 1 Peter 1:16). To be blessed is to be in God, and to grow in holiness is to walk within the divine circle, a symbolic space where we are in close communion with God. It requires leaving everything behind and following the Lord, who is all the soul is searching for (see Mark 10:28-30). In doing so, we detach ourselves from all that stands in the way of the Lord.
Grace is Abundant for Us
Thankfully, in our quest for holiness, we are not alone. Just as a vehicle transports us to our destination, the grace of God propels us toward a deeper, more intimate relationship with holiness. This abundant grace empowers us, including you, to step out of our comfort zones and dedicate ourselves to the Lord in service. In this surrender, we find true freedom to serve the Lord and love one another in a way that is pleasing to God.
If we want to be holy and grow in holiness, let’s take the opportunity to draw closer to God. All our activities, relationships, and services for the common good should bring us nearer to God. It is then that all we do is sanctified.
Additionally, we must see each other as God’s living agents through whom we see God. In our relationships, we demonstrate love and reverence appropriate to each type of relationship. Our personal, professional, and private relationships must reflect the qualities of God’s holy life. It means recognizing the divine spark in each person and treating them with the respect and love they deserve as God’s creation. This is not just a nice idea, but a fundamental truth. When we see God in others, we treat them with the love and respect they deserve, and in doing so, we become more like God.
Holiness is a Grace-Filled Life
Walking in the footsteps of the Lord wherever we are and in whatever we think and do, all by God’s grace, is living a holy life.
Living a holy life is not about being perfect, but about striving to be the best version of ourselves. It’s about living in a way that reflects God’s love and grace, and about allowing His love to transform us, from the inside out.
There is a place where God’s presence is uniquely and perpetually manifest, where we can see Him, touch Him, and be with Him—the Church in worship and, most profoundly, in the Eucharist.
In this sacred sacrament, we, including you, encounter the living God, who nourishes our souls and guides us on our journey towards holiness.
I draw strength to see God in everything and walk toward realizing His will in my life the more I contemplate His holy face at Mass, a moment of deep reflection and connection with God, and adore Him in the Blessed Sacrament, a time of profound reverence and adoration. What I see in His face helps me see another of Christ’s faces in others, through whom I become a better disciple of Christ.
I am praying for the grace of holiness of life. Amen.
God loves you. God bless you.
Fr. Maurice Emelu
[Readings: 1 Peter 1:10-16; Mark 10:28-33]
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