Saint Alphonsus Liguori once wrote, “All holiness and perfection of the soul lies in our love for Jesus Christ our God, who is our redeemer and supreme good.” In other words, love for Jesus is our motivation and means of our moral and spiritual growth.
Notice, it’s not fear of God’s punishment but the love of God that St. Liguori believes is the most significant factor in striving to do good and be like God in our thoughts, words, and actions. As you think about these words from this holy man, do they remind you of a person, perhaps your own experience, when someone or you has acted in a godly way out of love for a child, parent, friend, or even a stranger? If you can remember such a time, then St. Liguori’s statement will resonate, most likely deeply. Yet the challenge for some of us is what we see in today’s first reading. The Israelites watch Moses interact with God but from a distance, specifically from the entrances to their tents.
Watching From Afar
It made me think about how we sometimes want to watch God or those close to Him from a distance, not getting too close, because that might mean that we need to face some things about ourselves that we’re not ready to deal with. How would you react if someone said you were a holy person? Would you do the Irish-American reaction and definitively say, “Oh no, not me…maybe you’re thinking about my brother or my sister…they’re the holy one in our family!”
Why do most of us react that way?
Now, fast forward to the day that you meet Jesus at the gates of Heaven, and He says, I’ve been waiting for you, for you did your best, persevered and sought my forgiveness, and lived a good and holy life. Welcome! I’m guessing none of us would argue with Jesus saying, “Oh no, Lord, you must be thinking of my brother or sister….! Deep down, we are made to want to be good and holy. Maybe, somewhere along the line, we are told by someone that acknowledging the goal of holiness or even righteous behavior is wrong. When I wrote those words, I found them illogical. For we know we are made in the image of God and that through communion with God, we become more and more like Him. We also know that the way to fulfillment in this life that leads to Heaven is to live a virtuous and holy life.
God's Image
So what’s our problem? I think, for one, we can have a false modesty that can be combined with a fear of being termed a hypocrite. By false modesty, I mean instead of acknowledging the good that God is accomplishing in us, we deflect or deny it.
And the fear of hypocrisy is very real. Given our fallen nature and our track records, we also publicly or maybe even privately deny our true desires for holiness because we are afraid of raising expectations of others or ourselves. We’d instead set the bar low and clear it than try to live up to a higher standard.
Sainthood
Our founder, Father Patrick Peyton, when asked in his later years what he thought about people saying he was a living saint, said, “I want to be a saint.” He went on to say that that was the call of Jesus to all disciples to become saints and make it to Heaven.
St. Liguori began his younger years as a lawyer. And, after losing a critical case by his overlooking a key piece of evidence, he rethought his life and heard the call to the priesthood.
My brothers and sisters, God works in mysterious and unique ways. Like St. Liguori, if we listen, God can draw us closer for the better, even when we have made mistakes. God wants us to be close to Him so that He can guide, heal, and encourage us along our way to holiness, something we should never be embarrassed by, for it is what God has made us to be.
May God bless you and your families on this day.
St. Alphonsus Liguori…pray for us!
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