We are about halfway through our Lenten journey. How’s it going so far? Sometimes I just want to throw up my hands and call it a day! Yet, let us not take our eyes off our goal.
As Jesus said: “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” [Matthew 5:48]. How do we strive for perfection in an imperfect world? “The way of perfection passes by way of the Cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle” [CCC 2015].
During Lent and beyond, do we strive for perfection in our daily lives, or do we opt for less because perfection seems so unattainable? Remember: “When God, in the beginning, created man, he made him subject to his own free choice” [Sirach 15:14]. There lies the battle on our journey.
By Our Choice
Striving for perfection is marked by the daily choices we make—choices that either bring us closer to or distance us from divine intent. As we discern our daily choices, is following God’s will a top priority? Do our decisions align with God’s loving plan which is our salvation and the salvation of the world?
Life’s demands tend to pull us in different directions—some lead to worldly comforts but not toward Heaven. Are we not tempted to quit our Lenten journey of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving when the stresses of the day weigh upon us? Where’s the chocolate!
Before giving into temptation, consider the words of St. Paul. “For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity…will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths” [2 Timothy 4:3–4]. Aren’t we seeing evidence of that in our times?
For years faith in God has been declining, and we have suffered the consequences. Yet hope is not lost. Most recent surveys indicate the decline has leveled off and faith is even increasing, particularly among young people. Perhaps in the search for something better, people are rediscovering God and his call to participate in his divine nature.
The Lord’s Work Within Us
Striving for perfection involves daily prayer, meditating on the Scriptures, and participating in the Sacraments. Doing so with God’s grace fortifies our resolve and unites our hearts with the Lord. For God so loved the world, He sent His only Son Jesus Christ not to condemn it but that the world might be saved through Him [John 3:16–17].
Truly, through Him, with Him, and in Him, we receive the grace to become Christ-like in our daily living. Christ our Savior shows us the way to follow God’s will. In unity with Jesus, we grow in the virtues of faith, hope, and love.
On this journey, we decrease as the Lord inside of us increases by way of the Holy Spirit. In the process we recognize our imperfections and seek God’s loving mercy to rid ourselves of what separates us from Him. Having an open and repentant heart keeps us striving for the perfection God wants us to have.
Therefore, freely choosing to honor our Lord and sharing the love He gives us is our purpose. Doing so connects our daily living, including the crosses we bear, to the divine work of redemption and salvation. Our effort will not be in vain “for nothing will be impossible for God” [Luke 1:37]. Let it be so!
1 thought on “Strive for Perfection?”
I think we need to take a step back at times and truly see that we often let our feelings make our decisions about the times we live in when, in fact, ours is no worse or better than previous times (only different).
We keep saying technology is making things worse….yes, but, in what way? The only thing I see is that we can view, read, consume, spread more information than in previous times BUT the same problems exist that existed centuries ago…they just couldn’t gossip with the same speed or spread pornography around as we see these days all over the cesspool side of the Internet.
The problems of humanity have NOT changed one bit even if we try to kid ourselves and think we are in worse times….Vanity of vanities all is vanity, nothing new under the sun….we could be in the end times or not….our command by Our Lord is quite clear and worrying about the ups and downs of Faith and morals of everyone else is NOT one of them….we should pray, fast and give alms of course but ultimately each of us must answer for OUR OWN SINS and not the sins or lack of faith of others or whatever else is plaguing the world. I’m hopeful as I see GOD’s hand in a lot these days AND every day you wake up means HE has thought of you and has given you more time to repent, stay focused on Him and strive towards that goal of ‘be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect’ mandate….what’s the problem 😉