Nov 13 Mon
Holiness is a lifelong adventure.
“Our Lord is calling us to sanctify the ordinary tasks of every day, for Christian perfection is to be found precisely there.”
We need to struggle, to rectify a little each day, by setting specific and attainable goals. This is what God asks of us: effort, the readiness to improve. Mistakes do not matter when we have the good will to begin again, time after time. “The ascetical struggle is not something negative and therefore hateful, but rather a joyful affirmation. It is a sport.”
“A good sportsman doesn't fight to gain just one victory, and that at the first attempt. He has to build himself up for it, training over a long period of time, calmly and confidently. He keeps trying again and again, and if he doesn't succeed at the first attempt, he keeps on trying with determination until the obstacle is overcome.”
God asks us to show our love through the daily effort to fulfill our obligations, the little duties of each moment. “Holiness doesn't consist in doing increasingly difficult things, but in doing them with increasingly greater love.”
We must say yes, without setting limits to grace, if we want to stay on the path to holiness. While this is already a lot, it is not enough. The fullness of Christian life requires a continual resolve to improve: only in this way will we be faithful.
We cannot be content with what we have already accomplished. Let us not linger over what we have achieved. But let our progress lead us to go further.
Examine yourself, and do not be content with what you are, if you want to become what you still are not. For as soon as you become complacent, your progress stops. If you say "enough," you are lost.
Seeking holiness is not just an option opened to us, but God's express command. To disregard his will would mean we had failed in life, supernaturally and humanly.
The proof of our love comes when the monotony of repetitive days threatens to cloud our best efforts with indifference. There is merit and heroism when we rekindle our initial enthusiasm with the fire of love each day, despite difficulties on the way, and the fatigue of a thousand repetitive days. The same things day after day, year after year, and doing them until we die! Here is true faithfulness, a true work of love: it's not heroic to be faithful once in a while, or for periods of time, but over a lifetime, keeping our first fervor burning bright.
Our Lady smiles as she sees our renewed efforts, our hearts full of youthful enthusiasm, but strengthened by experience.
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