NOT YET HOLY

Tuesday in the 8th Week of the Ordinary Time
Mk 10:28-31

I want to be holy. But my desire to be holy is often easier said than done. The road to holiness is not only narrow; it is also long and rough.

God placed in us the desire to be holy. We were created in the image and likeness of God who is all-holy. We were fashioned according to holiness. We are meant to be holy. Until we become holy, we remain restless. Our peace lies in becoming holy like God Himself.

To sin is to be unholy. To sin is to be unlike God. To sin is to go against the very One in whose image and likeness we have been created. To sin is to destroy our selves. To sin is, in a sense, suicide.

To live is to reverse evil. Reverse e-v-i-l and you will l-i-v-e. To live is to be holy. To be holy is to live as we are destined to be…in the image and likeness of God.

St. Peter, in the First Reading today (1 Pt 1:10-16), reminds us of our calling from God: “Be holy, for I am holy.” The persecutions, Jesus mentions in the Gospel today together with the blessing intended fro those who leave everything for the Gospel, are meant to polish us and make us shine with the luster of God’s image and likeness. Persecutions for the sake of the Gospel help us to be holy.

I do not like persecutions (Who does?). That is why I am not yet holy. I often find my self running away from the crosses I have to bear because of the Gospel. That must be the reason why I am not yet holy.

How about you, are you already holy?