Fr. Bob - What does true holiness look like?
As Catholics we’re taught that we should strive for holiness. But what does holiness look like? Unfortunately, holiness is sometimes thought of as a softness that will turn us into these very docile, meek, mild and timid people. If that is what holiness is it doesn’t do much for me.
Holiness is quite the opposite. True holiness unleashes within us a fire that gives us the courage to do what God is calling us to do which is not always easy. That type of bravery is anything but docile, meek, mild. and timid.
Take for example John the Baptist, the wild man who came out of the desert wearing animal skins with a belt shinned around his waist looking like the Rambo of his day. This dude (the Baptist) was anything but a docile, meek, mild, and timid. The only way the authorities could silence him was to throw him into prison, which is where we find him in today’s Gospel passage.
What does the Baptist teach us about holiness? While the timid cautious spirit within us hangs on to control the untamed spirit of a John the Baptist dares to let go of control. While the timid cautious spirit within us first seeks to be secure the untamed spirit of a Joh the Baptist first seeks to be faithful. While the timid cautious spirit within us is held prisoner by fear the untamed spirit of a John the Baptist is set free from fear.
For me it’s this way. Sometimes when I go to prayer there’s this battle within me. There’s the timid cautious spirit that wants to stay comfortable. And then there’s this untamed spirit of a John the Baptist that is willing to get uncomfortable so I can be stretched by the grace that will transform me.
It’s the timid cuatious spirit within me that prays to control God, so I get what I want. It’s the untamed spirit of the John the Baptist within me that prays to let go of control so I can hear what God wants.
That’s why for me prayer becomes real only to the extent I let go and surrender to what God wants. If I find my prayer boring sometimes it’s because without realizing it, I have shifted back to control mode.
The Catechism tells us that we are called to a life of holiness. But what does holiness look like? It’s living bravely the untamed spirit of a John the Baptist. It’s having the courage to step into the something new that God is calling me to be.
And when I’m brave enough to stay on the path that holiness calls me to follow, invariably I discover that I’m way closer to that something new than I ever thought I’d be. That gives me hope. It tells me that even ordinary people like you and I, flawed as we are can still stive for holiness and not have to feel guilty when we don’t do it perfectly.