An Article written for Minor Ministers Magazine by the Altar Servers of St. Stephen's Chaplaincy, Nkwelle Ezinaka, Aguleri Diocese.
Introduction
Throughout the passages in the scripture, there are a series of familiar stories of God’s call to holiness of life, from the laws to the prophets, culminating in Christ and extending to the apostles and the church. Indeed, the entire people of God are involved in the call and life of holiness by virtue of baptismal consecration. The call to holiness is endless; it is daily and prompt. This is because of God’s mercy and will for man’s redemption and salvation, which predestined us to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:4-6).
There is no time in history without a purpose; everyone was created good, with an uncommon purpose, and as carriers of divine destinies for greatness. Until the fall, man enjoyed the fullness of blessedness in God’s presence. Yet God did not abandon man to perish in his sins, ignorance, and miseries. He initiated reconciliation with man; he called Abraham our father in faith and elected Israel as his chosen nation; he called Moses and guided him to lead his people out of bondage, making a covenant with them and giving them his laws and statutes; at different points of crisis, judges and prophets of old were raised to redeem the people of Israel and communicate the mind of God to them; priests were appointed to make oblation for sins and other rituals and prayers; and kings were anointed to govern the people and protect them from their enemies. In the fullness of time, God sent his son to be born of David’s line, born of a woman and born under the law, to redeem those under the law so that we might receive adoption to sonship. (Gal 4:4). He was pleased to redeem us in Christ, that all through responding to his call to holiness, we might trace back our path to eternal salvation (Col. 1:19).
The Church was commissioned to take the good news to the ends of the earth, with the gift of the Holy Spirit as teacher, enabler, and sanctifier. The church, according to the penny catechism, has four marks by which we may know her: she is one, she is holy, she is catholic, and she is apostolic. The life of the church has holiness at its core, and the entire church, both suffering and triumphant, with Christ as head and bridegroom, is united in inspiring, enhancing, encouraging, and sustaining the holiness of the sinful but striving militant holy church. Pope Francis, in his Apostolic Exhortation on The Call to Holiness in Today’s World, sees holiness as “the most attractive face of the church.” To him, we are not alone in the pursuit of holiness.
The Call, Caller, and Called: An ongoing Invitation
A call can be seen from different perspectives. Its literal sense could mean a shout or a cry, a signal, or a request for the attention of the caller. Every call, when intended, could be seen to have three ingredients: the call, the caller, and the caller. The call consists of the signal, the message or mission, and aids to the mission. Some calls are mysterious and padded with lots of eventualities, both favorable and otherwise. The biblical call follows some familiar patterns: the call, the response, the mission, and aids to the mission. You can see this in the likes of Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Jeremiah, etc. God, who foresees and masterminds all, calls and puts the called on the path of response. Within the clouds of the unknown, the called find purpose, meaning, and mission in life. Furthermore, Ambrose Agu rightly describes the ongoing nature of God’s call in his Responding to the Divine Call: “God calls; He has never stopped calling men and women to cooperate in his design for salvation... God speaks, but people often do not hear him. People do not often hear him because God speaks in the depths of one’s very being, in a gentle whispering voice."
A Call to Holiness
Holiness is often interchanged with perfection in the synoptic gospels; however, I prefer to distinguish the former from the latter. Perfection is being spotless, pure, and impeccable. It is a state in which nothing is lacking—that is, one hundred percent. This is the state of the triumphant church, those who have been purged and found worthy to see God. Holiness, on the other hand, I argue, is an ongoing endeavor towards perfection. What does holiness consist of? To the prophet Michah, it is acting justly, loving tenderly, and walking humbly before God (Mich 6:8). I hold the saying, “No one is perfect, but someone is holy." You cannot be perfect without being holy, just as you can be holy without being perfect. Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more (Rom. 5:20). As far as we are finite beings and grace abounds for us, holiness consists in rising after falling, making an effort each day to overcome sin, and doing good to others, for God’s will for us is our sanctification (1 Thess 4:3). The summit of holiness is after the example of Christ, thus summarized in the beatitudes. At its core, according to Pope Francis, “holiness is experiencing, in union with Christ, the mysteries of his life. It consists in uniting ourselves to the Lord’s death and resurrection.” Also, according to Pope Benedict XVI in his Insegnamenti VII, “Holiness is nothing other than charity lived to be full... the measure of our holiness stems from the stature that Christ achieves in us, to the extent that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we model our whole life to His.”
Everyone is Called to be Holy.
Each saint, according to Pope Francis, “is a mission, planned by the Father to reflect and embody at a specific moment in history a certain aspect of the gospel”. The call the caller addresses to us is simply, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16; Lev. 11:44). You too are called every one, each in his or her own unique way, as Lumen Gentium 11 puts it. Pope Francis, emphasizing this, cautions that there are saintly examples of the saints that we are only meant to admire but not emulate, so as not to deviate from our unique call or specific path. The important thing is that each believer discerns his or her own path. Are you called to the priesthood and consecrated life? Be holy by living out your commitment with joy. Are you called to serve God in lay ministries as altar servers, churchwarden, lector, choir, pious association and organization, committee, etc.? Be holy by being dedicated and cheerful when serving God. Are you called to the marital life? Be holy by loving and caring for your husband or wife as Christ does his church, bringing up your children in the ways of the Lord. Are you a worker, both public and self-employed? Be holy by laboring with integrity and skill in the service of your brothers and sisters. Are you in a position of authority? Be holy by working for the common good and renouncing personal gain, etc.
Signs of Holiness in Today’s World
Today’s world is reeling from one crisis to another, from a global pandemic to economic uncertainties, political and social turmoil, war, and natural disasters, to mention but a few. Coming down to Nigeria with the latest hunger outcry, hardship, insecurity, unemployment, high cost of living, etc. We are saddled with a great sense of anxiety, distrust, and pain, which makes this topic relevant and prompt. This holiness that the Lord calls you and I will grow through small gestures. At the same time, it is not a bed of roses or an easy adventure. Life presents challenges and obstacles, making it a battle and a war worth fighting. This battle consists of constant conversion and a daily effort to be steadfast. There are five signs outlined by Pope Francis, which include:
Perseverance, Patience, and Meekness: We are called to be counterexamples against the flow of evil. The only way is through the virtues of perseverance, patience, and meekness.
Joy and Sense of Humor: Saints are happy people even amidst tribulation, persecution, and pain. The effects of charity are joy, and so we are called to be charitable and loving.
Boldness and Passion: Holiness is not timidity; it is also parrhesia, or courage, which is a seal of the Holy Spirit that testifies to the authenticity of our preaching and faith.
In Community: Growth in holiness is a journey made with others. When we are apart from others, it is difficult to fight the snares and temptations of the devil, the world, and ourselves.
In Constant Prayer: Holiness is sustained by prayer and consists of a habitual openness to the transcendent amid the concerns of daily strife and challenges.
Conclusion
God wills us to be holy, and this is intrinsically tied to whatever we are or do as a mission, profession, or service. He calls you to a change of heart and constant fidelity to holiness, the only criteria for possessing heaven. Holiness, as simple as it may sound, encompasses all that is good and pleasing to God. It is not limited to Christians. God created everyone and called them good. Everyone is to return to the creator good. I will end this reflection with the words of William Grimbol in his Spirituality for Teens: “Calling is vital to spiritual life. If you fail to follow your calling, you will have failed to be the person God created you to be. You will not be fully real and fully alive.” And the words of St. Augustine: “God who made you without you cannot save you without you.” Dear reader, do you wish to attain holiness? Do you now feel a real desire to be holy? Then go to Christ. The way is encapsulated in the beatitudes (Matt. 5:3–12).
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