Holiness

“The only great tragedy in life is not to become a saint.”

– Leon Bloy

Reflection:

This week we celebrate the great feast of All Saints, so it is fitting to ponder what it means to be holy.

Although holiness is the highest and loftiest thing we can aim for, God calls every person to be holy. This means there is not any circumstance or time that God will not give someone the grace to be holy… if only he seeks to be holy.

Jesus highlights how much God longed to make people holy, and the importance of seeking God’s grace: “ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you… how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Luke 11:9-13)

I think it’s beautiful how God gives everyone the opportunity and tools they needs to be holy, that is, to be in love with Him in each moment. Holiness is not so much about us loving God and neighbor on our own, but to be in relationship with God and trust in His grace. This is what God wants for us… and it is what every human heart longs for.

Mother Teresa spoke about holiness being what God wants for us the most. She knew being holy was to strive to satiate Jesus’ thirst for souls in every moment, and asking God for the grace to be the person He wanted her to be.

Let us joyfully and faithfully ask God for the grace to be saints!

Challenge: “Holiness is not the luxury of the few but a simple duty for you and for me.” – St. Mother Teresa