03-10-2014, 09:38 AM
HOLINESS IS COMMUNION IN A LIFE OF JUSTICE AND CHARITY FOR MISSION
SCRIPTURE READINGS: LEV 19:1-2, 11-18; MT 25:31-46
http://www.universalis.com/20140310/mass.htm
It is significant that at the beginning of the first week of Lent, the liturgy sets out the fundamental motivation for the season of Lent, which is to grow in holiness. Holiness in today’s scriptural readings is measured in terms of justice and charity. Holiness is to share in the life of God. This life is one of communion, which is manifested in His covenantal relationship with Israel. Thus, as members of the people of God, we are called to be in right relationship not only with God, but also with each other in the spirit of justice and charity.
Indeed, there can be no communion unless justice prevails in our interpersonal relationships. Justice is basic and fundamental. The covenantal laws were given by God to Moses to help his people to live harmoniously so that the egalitarian culture is promoted. This is what the first reading is asking us to do. Justice concretely means being respectful of our neighbors’ property and personal well-being. It is an invitation to live in truth.
However in the gospel Jesus invites us to go beyond justice to charity. Justice is not sufficient but must be supplemented by mercy. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “charity is the soul of the holiness to which all are called: it ‘governs, shapes and perfects all the means of sanctification.’” And St. Therese of Lisieux, reminds us: If the Church was a body composed of different members, it couldn’t lack the noblest of all; it must have a heart, and a heart burning with love. And I realized that this love alone was the true motive force which enabled the other members of the Church to act; if it ceased to function, the apostles would forget to preach the Gospel, the martyrs would refuse to shed their blood. Love, in fact, is the vocation which includes all others; it’s a universe of its own, comprising all time and space – it’s eternal!” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 826).
The exercise of charity entails three levels; of thought, word and deed. Holiness therefore implies that we must not tolerate gossip, backbiting and envy. Holiness requires humility, compassion and most of all, a love that “is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor 13: 4-7).
Holiness as the perfection of love is manifested not only in word and personal attitudes but also in corporal works of mercy. We are called to care for the poor, the hungry, the marginalized, the sick and the abandoned, including the condemned such as the prisoners. That is why Lent as the time to grow in holiness is best exemplified in compassion and almsgiving.
Holiness ultimately is related to Christian mission because the works of justice and charity are orientated towards the spiritual and material good of others. In showing the love of God in us, others will come to experience the love of God and see the glory of God in us. Holiness itself is therefore already mission! This explains why the universal call to holiness is closely linked to the universal call to mission. Every member of the faithful is called both to holiness and to mission.
Pope John Paul in Redemptoris Missio teaches us that the Church’s missionary spirituality is a journey toward holiness. He said, “let us remember the missionary enthusiasm of the first Christian communities. Despite the limited means of travel and communication in those times, the proclamation of the Gospel quickly reached the ends of the earth. And this was the religion of a man who had died on a cross, ‘a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles’! (1 Cor 1:23). Underlying this missionary dynamism was the holiness of the first Christians and the first communities (Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Missio, 90).
How then do we apply these general teachings on holiness? If holiness is justice, mercy, charity and mission, then we must challenge ourselves as to whether we are living a life of justice. A life of justice would mean that we must be responsible with the lifestyle that is expected of us. This means a responsible use of time, resources, money and whatever facilities and opportunities given to us. If we have failed to exercise responsibility, then we would have failed in justice.
Secondly, how can we go beyond justice to mercy and charity? It is necessary that we should sacrifice our rights for the greater good of the community and the Church. We must avoid being calculative and too focused on our needs and interests. Unless we transcend justice, we cannot speak of charity, generosity and selflessness.
Of course, charity would require us to be humble and forgiving. Without respect and humility, we are likely to hurt others. Charity entails that we are conscious of our thoughts, words and deeds lest we hurt others, even unintentionally.
Through such consciousness, we form our character and grow in holiness as we learn how to control our mind, heart, temperament, habits and especially our will. Indeed, “a pious man who does not have character and a real, solid self-control will be a failure. Charity not based on self-denial will fail. Christianity without this foundation will fall into hypocrisy. A man or woman of the Kingdom without character and self-control, without a sound formation of the will, will be one in name only.’ (Letter of Father Marcial Maciel, LC, July 15, 1949).
Indeed, for this reason, holiness presupposes we reject mediocrity in personal life. We must consecrate our whole being, mind, will and soul for the glory of God and for His mission. Consequently, a total dedication to Jesus Christ is impossible for those who seek themselves.
Most of all, we must remember that the sole purpose of exercising justice and charity is in order that we be able to exercise effectively our mission, since mission to the Church and the world demands holiness in our own lives. How is this possible? We must put on Christ in order to see Christ in others, especially in the sick, the marginalized and sinners. As Jesus said, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did it to me”. We already share in God’s life simply by living a life of mercy and charity. Holiness ultimately is to be Christ-like, for Christ is in perfect communion with His Father in doing His will and is in perfect communion with us in love and mercy.
SCRIPTURE READINGS: LEV 19:1-2, 11-18; MT 25:31-46
http://www.universalis.com/20140310/mass.htm
It is significant that at the beginning of the first week of Lent, the liturgy sets out the fundamental motivation for the season of Lent, which is to grow in holiness. Holiness in today’s scriptural readings is measured in terms of justice and charity. Holiness is to share in the life of God. This life is one of communion, which is manifested in His covenantal relationship with Israel. Thus, as members of the people of God, we are called to be in right relationship not only with God, but also with each other in the spirit of justice and charity.
Indeed, there can be no communion unless justice prevails in our interpersonal relationships. Justice is basic and fundamental. The covenantal laws were given by God to Moses to help his people to live harmoniously so that the egalitarian culture is promoted. This is what the first reading is asking us to do. Justice concretely means being respectful of our neighbors’ property and personal well-being. It is an invitation to live in truth.
However in the gospel Jesus invites us to go beyond justice to charity. Justice is not sufficient but must be supplemented by mercy. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “charity is the soul of the holiness to which all are called: it ‘governs, shapes and perfects all the means of sanctification.’” And St. Therese of Lisieux, reminds us: If the Church was a body composed of different members, it couldn’t lack the noblest of all; it must have a heart, and a heart burning with love. And I realized that this love alone was the true motive force which enabled the other members of the Church to act; if it ceased to function, the apostles would forget to preach the Gospel, the martyrs would refuse to shed their blood. Love, in fact, is the vocation which includes all others; it’s a universe of its own, comprising all time and space – it’s eternal!” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 826).
The exercise of charity entails three levels; of thought, word and deed. Holiness therefore implies that we must not tolerate gossip, backbiting and envy. Holiness requires humility, compassion and most of all, a love that “is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor 13: 4-7).
Holiness as the perfection of love is manifested not only in word and personal attitudes but also in corporal works of mercy. We are called to care for the poor, the hungry, the marginalized, the sick and the abandoned, including the condemned such as the prisoners. That is why Lent as the time to grow in holiness is best exemplified in compassion and almsgiving.
Holiness ultimately is related to Christian mission because the works of justice and charity are orientated towards the spiritual and material good of others. In showing the love of God in us, others will come to experience the love of God and see the glory of God in us. Holiness itself is therefore already mission! This explains why the universal call to holiness is closely linked to the universal call to mission. Every member of the faithful is called both to holiness and to mission.
Pope John Paul in Redemptoris Missio teaches us that the Church’s missionary spirituality is a journey toward holiness. He said, “let us remember the missionary enthusiasm of the first Christian communities. Despite the limited means of travel and communication in those times, the proclamation of the Gospel quickly reached the ends of the earth. And this was the religion of a man who had died on a cross, ‘a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles’! (1 Cor 1:23). Underlying this missionary dynamism was the holiness of the first Christians and the first communities (Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Missio, 90).
How then do we apply these general teachings on holiness? If holiness is justice, mercy, charity and mission, then we must challenge ourselves as to whether we are living a life of justice. A life of justice would mean that we must be responsible with the lifestyle that is expected of us. This means a responsible use of time, resources, money and whatever facilities and opportunities given to us. If we have failed to exercise responsibility, then we would have failed in justice.
Secondly, how can we go beyond justice to mercy and charity? It is necessary that we should sacrifice our rights for the greater good of the community and the Church. We must avoid being calculative and too focused on our needs and interests. Unless we transcend justice, we cannot speak of charity, generosity and selflessness.
Of course, charity would require us to be humble and forgiving. Without respect and humility, we are likely to hurt others. Charity entails that we are conscious of our thoughts, words and deeds lest we hurt others, even unintentionally.
Through such consciousness, we form our character and grow in holiness as we learn how to control our mind, heart, temperament, habits and especially our will. Indeed, “a pious man who does not have character and a real, solid self-control will be a failure. Charity not based on self-denial will fail. Christianity without this foundation will fall into hypocrisy. A man or woman of the Kingdom without character and self-control, without a sound formation of the will, will be one in name only.’ (Letter of Father Marcial Maciel, LC, July 15, 1949).
Indeed, for this reason, holiness presupposes we reject mediocrity in personal life. We must consecrate our whole being, mind, will and soul for the glory of God and for His mission. Consequently, a total dedication to Jesus Christ is impossible for those who seek themselves.
Most of all, we must remember that the sole purpose of exercising justice and charity is in order that we be able to exercise effectively our mission, since mission to the Church and the world demands holiness in our own lives. How is this possible? We must put on Christ in order to see Christ in others, especially in the sick, the marginalized and sinners. As Jesus said, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did it to me”. We already share in God’s life simply by living a life of mercy and charity. Holiness ultimately is to be Christ-like, for Christ is in perfect communion with His Father in doing His will and is in perfect communion with us in love and mercy.