In last week’s Bulletin I suggested that each of us, if we truly desire salvation, must ask ourselves several questions. The first set of questions I presented dealt with the actual process of becoming holy – being called to holiness. The second set of questions dealt with why I am the unique person that I am.

I would like to go back to the first set of questions. The first question I formulated was: What does it mean to be called to holiness?

I have come to understand that God’s call to me to become holy is really a call to be the person that He created me to be! I truly believe that He created me to complete His Kingdom right now! I am who I am because He (1) knows that where I am and who I am right now is absolutely perfect to help me to become all that I can be, and (2) knows that who I am and where I am also helps others become all that they are created to be. In saying this I am not attempting to aggrandize my position. I believe this same thing to be true of each and every other human being. We are where we are and who we are so that all things may work to bring us into ever closer union with God (You may have to think about this for a while in order to   garner all the meaning I am attempting to put into this).

I truly believe that God’s His creation. I say this because I also believe that He is sharing His own life with His creation, bring everything into existence and sustaining the existence of everything. He does this by sharing His life with His creation which, I truly believe, is accomplished by loving His creation (This is the message I get when I read the Fathers of the Eastern Church).

So a real part of being called to holiness is becoming aware of how much our Creator-Father loves us. I truly believe that the Eastern Church believes that if we come to understand our relationship with God, we will strive to be the very best that we can be. We don’t have to be frightened into being good. I know that it is my desire to bring glory, honor and praise to my heavenly Father because of the fact that I know He loves me. I don’t have to be threatened with the punishment of hell in order to strive to be my very best.

I believe that the spirituality of the Eastern Church is founded on this approach to life and constantly calls us, through our worship, to take this approach to life. Can I really hate my neighbor or be unjust to him/her if I see my life, and therefore their lives, in this manner? I think not! If God so deeply loves me, He also love all others with the same intensity. Therefore the only true response I can make is to love my neighbor as myself.