[stephenkhoo]

THE PRICE AND REWARD OF HOLINESS
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 PT 1:10-16; Mk 10:28-31
http://www.universalis.com/20140304/mass.htm

In the first reading, St Peter exhorts us, “Be holy in all you do, since it is the Holy One who has called you, and scripture says: Be holy, for I am holy.” Indeed, we have just been renewed and transformed after completing the celebration of the Easter Season. We, who have been given a new birth at baptism and power for witnessing by the same Holy Spirit at Pentecost, are now called to turn away from the old way of life and live a life of the Spirit. This is what St Peter is warning us, “Do not behave in the way that you liked to before you learnt the truth.” And what better way to witness to Christ than to “make a habit of obedience” to be holy!


But what is holiness? The gospel tells us that holiness is to follow Christ like the apostles. Holiness however, is not simply being called a “Christian”, or a “Catholic” subscribing to our affiliation with Christ and His Church. Holiness is to follow Jesus even to the extent of carrying the cross with Him and even for Him. In both scripture readings, there is a reference directly or indirectly to the sufferings of Christ and how as disciples we will not be exempted from the suffering that comes from following Christ. As Jesus warned us, it will not be without persecution. We must be weary of a delusive kind of Christianity that promotes faith without discipleship and sacrifices. Preaching the prosperity gospel exclusively will lead to materialism and selfishness and even disillusionment in the face of suffering and tragedy. The truth is that the love of God and love of neighbour will always entail self-denial, suffering, sacrifices and detachment.


It is therefore necessary for us to purify our motives in following or serving Him. Even the apostles’ motive for serving the Lord was not that pure; they harboured material and self-centered motives in following Jesus. Their reaction in response to Jesus’ remark when He said, “’how hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ was one of incredulity. But Jesus insisted, ‘My children,’ he said to them ‘how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’” The apostles considered that serving God is tantamount to being rewarded materially in this life. Thus it was devastating for them to have Jesus reject this notion, dashing all their hopes in following Jesus.


But this is where the crux of our difficulties lies. We cannot give up our desire for worldly things or things of this earth, even when they are illegitimate, much less still when they are legitimate! Many of us continue to allow ourselves to be under the control of our desire for wealth, power, status and sex.

Many are unable to free themselves from bondages of anger, unforgiveness, hatred, laziness, envy, and pride. Hence, St Peter urges, “Free you minds, then, of encumbrances; control them.”


If giving up material things is difficult, it is even more difficult when we have to give up attachment to persons in our lives. We can be sure that for the apostles to leave their family to follow Jesus required tremendous sacrifices. Yes, to give up our loved ones for the sake of the gospel or in order that we could live a life of holiness is perhaps the most difficult thing of all, more painful than giving up wealth and power. To give up love for someone who is so dear to us so that we can give ourselves totally to the work of Jesus calls for almost a death to one’s body!


How then can we live a life of holiness? We cannot depend on ourselves, our efforts and will alone. We need to depend on the grace of Christ given to us in His Passion. St Peter reminded the Christians of this privilege when he wrote, “it was this salvation that the prophets were looking and searching so hard for; their prophecies were about the grace which was to come to you.“ Through Christ’s passion for us on the Cross, He has brought the grace of God, His love to us in His death and resurrection. It is crucial therefore that we remember His death and resurrection for us so that we can experience His salvation anew again and again, especially when we celebrate the Eucharist. Through this memorial of His paschal mystery which we have just completed at Pentecost, we can truly declare with the Psalmist, “The Lord has made known his salvation. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. In the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God.”


Does it mean to say therefore that Christianity is nothing but the passion and the cross? Does it mean that there can only be happiness and joy and freedom in the next life? If that were the case, holiness would be such an undesirable life to live! On the contrary, Jesus made it clear to the apostles that the reward of holiness is not just in the next life, nor just in this life, but in this life and the next. Yes, He assures us, “I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life. ‘Many who are first will be last, and the last first.’”


In other words, the life of happiness that comes with a life of holiness is more than just earthly benefits of success, wealth and material fulfillment, or even of status and power. Rather, the reward of holiness is to live life to the fullest in whatever state or situation we are in, in plenty or poverty, in riches or in poverty, in health or in sickness. We will transcend these polarities of life, able to enjoy them and yet be able to live without them. Thus in saying that “many who are first will be last, and the last first”, Jesus is reversing the values of the world and inviting us to appraise and appreciate life from the perspective of God. We will then have true freedom in the Spirit for ultimately; happiness consists of a life of joy, peace and love in our hearts, especially in our relationship with God and our neighbours.


Holiness, which is a life of integrity, is what makes us live a wholesome life, here and in the next world. To live a holy life is to live the life of God, the life of Christ. Like Jesus, we will be happy wherever we are so long as we know we are doing the will of God, sharing in His life and joy, a joy that is beyond the confines of this earth. To be so deeply in love with God, self and others is what holiness is all about.