Ordinary Sanctity

Sanctity is the state of being holy or saintly.

In my last blog I talked about being called to be ordinary.  This does not mean that I am not called to sanctity. Mother Angelica, founder of EWTN said, "We are all called to be great saints--don't miss the opportunity!"

Scripture tells us, "be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt:5:48)

So, while the majority of us are called to live ordinary lives, this does not give us permission to be less than God wants us to be.

How do we achieve that to which we are called?  Several ways:

Prayer.  Pray every single day.  Don't let it be a sloppy prayer either.  If you are only going to pray a little bit, make it GREAT!!  Get down on your knees.  Breath in peace and let your mind focus on God. (He's always waiting to hear from us!)

Practice ACTS:

Acclamation---praise God and adore Him; realizing that He is Almighty!!

Contrition--tell Him where you messed up and be sorry. Tell Him you're sorry for hurting Him.

Thanksgiving-- thank Him for everything--joys as well as sufferings.

Supplication--ask Him for what you need.

Mass:  go to Mass more than on Sundays.  Every single day Christ is there in Holy Communion waiting to come to you.  Try to attend Mass at least one more day during the week.  You will find that as you let Christ feed you with Himself, that you find it hard to stay away.

Confession: Christ instituted the Sacrament of Confession for a reason!! We need it!  He knows we need it.  Go!  You'll be glad you did.  Afraid? Embarrassed? Been a while?  It doesn't matter.  Pray for courage and go.  It will lead you closer to Him.

Do something for someone in need.  Needs come in all sizes: donate food to a food bank, make a meal for a new mom or someone recovering from surgery, tutor an adult who cannot read, bring Communion to a shut-in, pray for someone who is dying.  It doesn't have to be huge, it just has to be done.

Read your Bible.  If you don't have one, go buy one; a NICE one.  Start with a Gospel.  Read what God has to say to you. It's a beautiful thing!

Read about the life of a Saint.  There are so many amazing Saints from which to choose; Saints who were children, Saints who were men, Saints who were women, Saints who had visions, Saints who were hermits, Saints who were martyred.  Start anywhere.

The road to sanctity is within reach.  All you have to do to get on the road is have the desire.  God will lead you.  Start today!

Growing in Sanctity

Sanctity = Holiness

Can you feel yourself growing in sanctity every day?

Are you working at it with the patience of a Saint?

Sanctity is hard work and something we absolutely cannot do on our own.

We must take God, in all three persons, along for the ride.

Pray to God the Father for wisdom to see the places in your life that need to be sanctified.  Trust me, He will show you.  Thankfully, with me, He is very gentle in His approach, although sometimes, I admit, that a 2 x 4 may be more effective!

Pray to Jesus to lead you to the Father.  "No one comes to the Father except through Me", Jesus tells us.

Read the Gospels.  Embrace the words of Jesus. Come to KNOW Him and His love for you!!

Especially pray to the Holy Spirit.  He has all those gifts He longs to pour out on you:
Wisdom, Understanding, Right Judgement, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord.

These are gifts, freely given to those who who have been baptized and who ask for them.  You have to want them. You have to embrace them.

When you embrace them, you will give off good fruit. Those good fruits are:
charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, long suffering, mildness, faith, modesty, constancy and chastity.

Granted we cannot work on all of these at once. We are a work in progress.  But, if we truly wish to change and to grow in sanctity these are steps in the right direction.

Mary and St. Joseph are key helpers in growing in sanctity.  Don't forget to ask for their intercession as well.


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