If you have been following this article in my Bulletin, you are probably aware that it is my belief that truly vibrant spiritual communities have members who understand to some degree that they care called to holiness. The followers of Jesus demonstrated that they understood this by the way they lived and died.
In stating this, the important questions that come to mind is: What does it mean to be called to holiness? Is it within my ability to become holy? How will I have to change if I give myself to the task of becoming holy?
I believe it is critical that we ask ourselves these very important questions and develop answers that make sense to us. It is also my belief that, because our lives are so very unique, each of us must find our own way to become holy and that, in-spite-of the uniqueness of our journeys, each of us is challenged with the task of becoming holy.
So, what does it mean to be called to holiness? In answering this I will only give you the answer that I have formulated for myself. My answer, I will confess, is based on my study of the Eastern Fathers of the Church and on my own experience with life.
Being called to holiness, like Theosis, being called to a relationship with our Creator-Father God. In order to have a true relationship with God, however, I have to come to some understanding of the true meaning and purpose of life. To achieve this understanding, of course, I must find answers to other questions: Why did God call me into existence and why at this specific time in history? Why was I born into the family that I was born into? Why am I a part of the community that I am involved with?
The answer these questions has required me to embrace one basic belief: All things in life happen at exactly the right time and place for all persons involved in my life! The master plan that God has for my life is simply this: life brings together all of the people and events at the very right time to help me grow into the spiritual-physical person that He envisioned when He, from all eternity, called my name (Since there is no time in God, I have always been an image/thought in His mind. Even though I came into this earthly existence in time and history, this doesn’t mean that I haven’t always been a thought/person in God’s mind).
This is an aside. I do not intend to anthropomorphize God, that is make Him human by using the words mind, thought or image. However philosophy tells us that no one can make something that is beyond our own ability. Since humans have thoughts, images and minds, somehow, and in some way, God must also have the ability to have these.
As God’s creation, we have always been in His mind!