Question 10.162
10.162 Finally, what is holiness?
In his First Letter to the Thessalonians, Saint Paul declares: âBrethren, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like heathens who do not know God; that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we solemnly forewarned you. For God has not called us for uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to youâ (1 Thess 4:1-8).
What are the ways to achieve holiness? The first is the humble acceptance of a gift from heaven. Indeed, holiness is in the first place a grace that comes from God. We must strive to accept it and to cooperate with it. In the Imitation of Christ we find this magnificent passage: âThere can be no holiness, then, Lord, if you withdraw your supporting hand. No wisdom can be of any help, once you cease to guide it; no courage can support us, if you cease to keep it in being. ⌠No, when you leave us, we sink and perish; when you visit us, we are raised up and restored to life. We have no sure footing, but through you we are made firm; we grow cold at heart, but you stir us once more into flame.â/
Nevertheless, I think that there is a privileged way, the way of love and charity. This always leads man to perfection; it is the surest road to holiness. This connection between charity, perfection, and holiness is very important. People therefore must advance in faith by living in charity.
Demanding as they are, the words that Jesus speaks to us are full of love. This is why he tells us: âYou must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfectâ (Mt 5:48). Indeed, in agreeing to be Christians, we must constantly act without thinking about petty objectives of prestige or ambition or about ends that may appear nobler, such as philanthropy or humanitarian kindness. The Christian is a person who unceasingly reflects on the ultimate and radical end of love, which Jesus Christ manifested to us by dying for us on the Cross. Hence holiness consists of living exactly as God wants us to live, by being conformed more and more to his Son, Jesus Christ. Saint Paul already warned us without mincing words when he wrote: âPut on then, as Godâs chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And over all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one bodyâ (Col 3:1215).
God deeply desires that we might resemble him by being saints. Charity is love, and holiness is a sublime manifestation of the ability to love. It is an identification with Christ and therefore the fulfillment of our vocation to be a son or daughter of God.