“Holiness, whether ascribed to popes well-known to history or to humble lay and religious figures, from one continent to another of the globe, has emerged more clearly as the dimension which expresses best the mystery of the Church. Holiness, a message that convinces without the need for words, is the living reflection of the face of Christ.” (Pope John Paul II)
The quote speaks for itself, eh? Holiness, as John Paul II reflected, is the way in which we bring the living Christ to the world.
Entitlement. The idea many of us take on in which we truly believe that we deserve what we have. And it doesn’t stop there. We often find that this idea of entitlement, once bought into, quickly turns into pity. Self-pity.
From deserving what I have, to thinking that I deserve more. We train ourselves into thinking that “what I have, though I deserve it,” is simply not good enough.
We believe, oh yes, we do believe. And it’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it? This incredible gift of faith, given by a God who wants nothing more than to spend eternity with us.
Despite our unworthiness, despite the many times we have turned away, we have a God who continually fills our hearts with this need. A need that begs us to live as we were created to live.
Picture it. The rich man encountering Jesus Christ. Face to face. As they look into each others’ eyes. People hear the commotion, inching closer. Can you feel the tension? The rich man, feeling quite well about himself, I am sure, asking Jesus if there is more.
“You follow the commandments, you say? You are a good person, you say? That’s great. But it’s not enough . . .
Editor’s note: This is the first in a new periodic column in the Catholic Herald for young adults.
Hello to all! My name is Jon Leonetti. For this first column I have decided to give you a short biography of who I am, allowing readers to know a little bit more about me.
So here it goes . . .
The United States spans some 3,500 miles from coast to coast, and by August 2009, I will have walked it.
