During the past several weeks I have been sharing with you what I believe to be an essential realization that every person desirous of being called a Christian must have, namely that they are called to holiness. The goal and purpose of life is to help us grow in holiness.

Holiness has been defined as having the attitude of belonging to or devoted to God. It includes being pure in heart, devout (i.e., active in worship and prayer) and pious (i.e., showing reverence for God and being righteous). Holiness does not necessarily mean being so wrapped up in religious practices that you don’t live your daily life. Saints are not unreasonable people.

For me holiness means being centered on living your life as God intended you to live it when he created you and using Jesus as a model for your attitudes and behaviors. Perhaps one of the primary prerequisites for holiness is acceptance of self. It seems that each of us have been created with very definite strengths and weaknesses. They are given to us to help us spiritually grow during this lifetime in the image and likeness of God. They are uniquely balanced, I believe, to help us achieve holiness if we turn our efforts to this goal. I believe that holiness cannot be achieved unless we desire it and            consciously turn our attention to the task of achieving it. Holiness doesn’t happen by osmosis.  It doesn’t happen to us but, rather, is something we can achieve with God’s help.

It does mean that God must be important in our life. It does mean that we accept that we have a spiritual nature as well as a physical nature.

Having said this, it means that we must see ourselves as spiritual-material beings – flesh and bone that is animated and invigorated by a spiritual force that is truly individualized. While all humans are brought into and kept in existence through the same spiritual force, each human being is incarnated by a unique personality. So while I am like all other human beings, there is something within me which is completely and totally unique, my person – that unique element which makes me who I am.

Once I begin to think about myself in this manner I can embark on the road to holiness. For to be holy means that I am truly the person God created me to be.

In some way I think that holiness means that I truly discover who God created when He created me. For it is truly ME He has called to holiness.  Χριστός Ανέστη!