Holiness of life

Holiness of Life

‘be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect.’ [Cf. Mt. 5:48].

 

 Holiness of life means living towards the way of perfection with spiritual progress, which entails the ascesis and mortification that gradually lead to living in the peace, and joy of the beatitudes. The second Vatican council says that, all the faithful, whatever their condition or state, are called by the lord each in his own way, the perfect holiness whereby the father himself is perfect; all are called to holiness: ‘be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect.’ [Cf. Mt. 5:48].
The most challenging task is to lead this holiness of life in a world which itself advocates scientific perfection as the end goal. We should remember that in holiness of life, God is the ultimate end and as st. Thomas Aquinas puts it, each and everything is said to be perfect in so far as it attains to its proper end; and this is its ultimate perfection and in our case is to be of God. However, the words of Bede the venerable, would remind us that no one is suddenly made perfect and therefore to obtain this gift of holiness is the work of life. The instinct of the Holy Spirit should guide us habitually as we advance in our holiness of life.

 

We should also bear in mind that Spiritual progress tends towards ever more intimate union with Christ but not without renunciation and Spiritual battle. This is to say that diamond cannot be polished without friction, nor the man perfected without trials. Let us not be discouraged by trials and hardships. As a conclusion we cannot help not to quote the words of our Bl. Founder Joseph Allamano when we speak of holiness of life. For him, sanctification is the aim of our congregation and he never lacked to say that, ‘…always walk without stopping on the way of perfection…’ [Cf. lecture to sisters, 17-01-1913].

 

As religious missionaries, we should remember that no man can advance considerable paces on the road to holiness of life unless he or she takes Jesus Christ with a deep personal encounter through certain religious necessities like meditation, lectio divina, personal reflections, self- interiority, personal and communal prayers, celebration of and participation in life of sacraments, putting Eucharist as the nucleus, and service to one another. We should show the most uncommon favour in doing all these common things and this would help us walk on our ways of holiness of lives. And to use the words of Paschal Blaise, ‘…the serene, silent beauty of a holy life is the most powerful influence on the world, next to the almighty God.’ [Cf. quotes and anecdotes, 1983, p. 32]. Lets take the challenge and giving testimony of holiness of life by our lives, we lead others follow.

By Michael B. Mutinda.