Saintliness is not just for canonized Saints

Good News Reflection
Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
March 2, 2010

Today's Readings:
Isaiah 1:10, 16-20
Ps 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23
Matt 23:1-12
http://www.usccb.org/nab/030210.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_03_02.mp3

Saintliness is not just for canonized Saints

Are you holy? Don't blush and choke and say, "Nooo, I'm no saint!" Well, don't you believe (as we profess in the Creed) in the HOLY catholic church? Aren't you part of this church? Didn't you receive the HOLY Spirit in baptism?

We are holy. We were made holy during our baptisms. However, we're not fully convinced that it's good to be holy, and thus we struggle to be who we really are. We spend the rest of our lives learning how to apply our holy nature to daily situations that tempt us to find unholy ways of handling them. We have to work hard to motivate ourselves to act according to the holiness within us.

To resist sin, we must learn to control our thoughts, nourish our souls, and discipline our flesh-nature so that we become stronger against our vulnerability toward sin.

Our minds stray into evil less often when more time is spent praying and meditating on God's Word, God's love, God's will, and everything else that is holy and pure. The spiritual passions of our souls become less selfish when we care about others. We learn to overcome our irregular appetites (the sinful cravings of the flesh) when we discipline our bodies through fasting, abstinence, and penance.

In today's first reading, God pleads with us: "Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good." We want to live this way, but it surely is not easy. We need supernatural help. We need special graces. Praise the Lord, this is exactly what is offered in the Sacrament of Reconciliation! Because it is a sacrament, it is an encounter with the supernatural.

God wants to make it easier for us to put away evil deeds and use the gift of holiness that he's given us. And he never asks for the impossible. He's the one who makes saintly living possible. It's up to us to avail ourselves of this help.

"Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord: Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow...."

And Jesus tells us in today's Gospel reading, "Whoever humbles himself shall be exalted." The word "exalt" means "to enhance the activity of" or "to intensify." God will enhance and intensify our holiness whenever we admit our sinfulness and rely on the power of his holy sacraments!

© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.

WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections


Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...

Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!

Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.

______________________________________________________________
This is the "Good News Reflections - American Edition" mailing list.
MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION:
Change your address
Unsubscribe