Are You Holy?

If someone asked me that question, I’d roll my eyes and say “Not really”.

Recently Pope Francis released an Apostolic Exhortation on Holiness.  It is a 34 page letter which is both readable and down-to-earth.  Check it out.  A basic message is that holiness does not imply perfection.

Two weekends ago I started the homily by asking people to raise their hands if they think they are holy. At the 1st mass 1 person raised a hand.  At the 2^nd mass no one raised a hand. But at the 3^rd mass, 14 people raised their hands. I was delighted.

Two families raised their hands.  Both families have 3 children…some younger ones and some teenagers. And every member of each family ‘tentatively’ raised their hands. (Their hands were up but not real high.) I liked that. They see that they’re on the way.

Pope Francis says: “Holiness is present in parents who raise their children with love; in men and women who work hard to support their families; in the sick and elderly who never lose their smiles; and in next-door neighbors and those living in our midst.”

Two concrete actions: 1. Answer the question for yourself: Are you holy?  2. Name a holy person you know. Talk to him/her about that.          

                                                                 Spiritual DNA

Last year I received a gift certificate to do a DNA search through Ancestry.com.  I assumed my DNA would show my strong German background…having 3 German grandparents. To my surprise it was my Polish grandfather’s DNA that dominated my profile. In hindsight that makes sense to me.  I look very much like him.  And our personalities are similar too.       

Recently I chose the text of 1 John 3:1-2 as a reading for a funeral.  That text begins with this sentence: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God.”  And that got me thinking about something I’d call spiritual ‘DNA’. 

What qualities have we inherited from God our creator? How are we God-like?

In the instance of that funeral homily, I mentioned the deceased’s 'tender heart', 'playful spirit' and 'love for the natural world' as his God-like qualities.  

Take a few minutes to think about God-like qualities that are embedded in your spiritual DNA.  What qualities have you inherited from God?  Think of a person you love.  What God-like qualities do you see in him or her?  Tell that person what you see of God in him or her.