Readings: Lv. 19:1-2, 17-18; 1Cor. 3:16-23; Matthew 5:38-48
We Are Called to Be Holy
“All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity.” (CCC 2013). This is a universal mandate extended to everyone. We are not called to be holy as we think we should be holy, but as holy as God is. Our understanding of holiness should be based on God’s way and not ours. “…Not what I will but what you will.” (Mk. 14:36). “Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy” (First reading). We must respond to this call without any reservation. In his Introduction to the Devout Live, St. Francis de Sales reminds us, “Wherever we find ourselves we not only may, but should, seek perfection.” He stressed: “At the creation God commanded the plants to bear fruit each according to its kind and he likewise commands Christians, the living branches of the vine, to bear fruit by practicing devotion according to their state in life.” We are created in the image and likeness of God to know, love, serve and worship God in this world so as to be happy with him in the next. Our existence on earth will only be meaningful if we behold the beatific vision of God at the end. Hence, our choices should be geared towards our final home with God in heaven. So, we must be holy!
What is holiness? Holiness means sacredness or purity. It is often used to describe things that are consecrated or dedicated and set apart for the service of God. It is living in communication with God and others. It comes from God alone, so people and things can only be holy if they are related to God. Because of our desire to seek God and all that pleases Him, we must let go of everything in order to have a life with God. St. Paul stated this clearly thus: “I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him…” (Phil. 3:8-10). “In order to reach this perfection” the Catechism teaches, “the faithful should use the strength dealt out to them by Christ’s gift, so that …doing the will of the Father in everything, they may wholeheartedly devote themselves to the glory of God and to the service of their neighbor. Thus the holiness of the people of God will grow in fruitful abundance, as is clearly shown in the history of the Church through the lives of so many saints.” (CCC 2013).
The Gospel reading today makes sense when seen from the background of the call to holiness. The teaching of Christ in the Sermon on the Mount shows the Christian how to pursue a life of holiness. Responding to this call means “You shall not bear hatred for your brother. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge.” (Lev. 19:18). “Offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you.” (Mt. 5:38-45).
This reminds me of a story about a preacher who was confronted by someone after preaching on turning the other cheek. The young man asked him, “Is it true that if I strike you on the right cheek you will turn the left as well for me to strike.” The preacher answered in the affirmative. The young man immediately struck the pastor on the right cheek. The pastor turned the left cheek as well, to which the young man struck again with a deadly blow. The pastor then lifted the young man up and dropped him on the ground. The young asked him why he did that, to which the pastor responded that Christ did not tell him what to do after turning the other cheek, so he took his initiative. Christians do not look for an easy way out because they have no alternative. They look for options because it is always right to do what is right, and not doing what is right is not an option. Christians know that by hurting others they hurt themselves. Bearing grudges, harboring grievances and planning revenge are holding a big fire in our heart which will soon ignite, burn and consume not only ourselves but everything in its path. We hurt ourselves each time we are abusive, disregard, look down and act maliciously towards others.
“When we hate our enemies, we give them power over us – power over our sleep…power over our blood pressure, power over our health and happiness. Our enemies would dance for joy if they knew how our hatred tears us apart. Our hatred is not hurting them at all. It only turns own days and night into a hellish turmoil.” (Anonymous) Jesus knew all these and so he wants us to use the power of love and conquer our enemies. They cannot take the pressure of our love for too long; but will buckle under the enormity of our love and so we are called to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Love will always release a chain reaction of love. Responding with love toward those who wrong us benefits both parties far more than does a response of hate.
May we respond to a call to holiness and so love as we are loved! Amen.
Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP.
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