I'm in my second year teaching middle school religion. For the past quarter, I've been teaching my eighth graders about the four pillars of the Church. We recently focused on how the Church itself is only holy through its following of Jesus, not through its members. Its members of sinners, which I'm one of. We have to acknowledge that our holiness is only found through others and experiences. Our holiness is not found in ourselves or through ourselves, or in what we're doing, no matter what we're doing for Christ. Our holiness is only found through the Eucharist, Jesus’s abundant grace and outpouring of love, and the sacrament of confession. Our holiness is only found through Him.
One of my students, in searching for pictures for his project this week, found an article from New Zealand talking about how we should not idolize the Church, and that we should keep Jesus as our God and as our one belief. The article also said that faith is based on the foundation of the Commandments, which were given to us to make us holy. These are not rules to limit us or to make us angry. The Commandments are meant to draw us into the communion with the Trinity. These are not the only words given to us as instructions. The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy are also great guides to lead us to holiness.
As a follower of Jesus in a church so Catholic it is universal, you should also understand that the Church as a group of people can make mistakes and that we need the sacrament of confession in order to prepare our souls for heaven. We as Catholics believe that the best way and the only way for us to receive absolution of our sins and repair relationships with those that we've sinned against is to begin with confession. This is to go to Christ on Earth and have our sins absolved by a priest. This sacrament was instituted by Christ to his apostles: "Whatever [sins] you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18). Confession brings us in closer union to our community and Christ himself.
As this week came to a close I was talking with my sixth graders about the Litany of Trust. Watching 12-year-olds comprehend and understand that the only way to holiness is through trust in Jesus and put down their pride of “I got this,” “I can do this on my own” is humbling. I can tell you that they thought differently yesterday afternoon when they understood that faith and trust in hope and Jesus can be the only way to holiness. We are not holy on our own; we are holy through Christ who strengthens us. Matthew 19:26 states, “For God all things are possible.” It is only through Jesus and through the sacraments that we as a people can become holy. Do not let the sin of pride cloud your eyes that you are perfect, nor do you need to be perfect. The only perfect ones are Mary and her son. We desire a perfect relationship in order to be holy, to be called saints in heaven and on Earth. As part of the community of saints we have an ambition to be called saints in heaven, to be followers of Christ so fiercely that we have an established relationship with Him and that we have made it known.
Recently there has been a song on the radio that reinforces this concept. “My Jesus” by Anne Wilson proves how much we are loved by Jesus and how he makes us holy in the process.
“He makes a way where there ain't no way
Rises up from an empty grave
Ain't no sinner that He can't save
Let me tell you 'bout my Jesus
His love is strong and His grace is free
And the good news is I know that He
Can do for you what He's done for me
Let me tell you 'bout my Jesus
And let my Jesus change your life”
The song “Nobody” by Casting Crowns also reminds us that that same Jesus makes us feel like somebody. These lyrics touch my soul. Jesus made us holy through his suffering. This part of the song continues to shine the faith and light of the holiness of our Lord and the sinfulness of the church and its body. They read:
“Cause I'm just a nobody
Trying to tell everybody
All about Somebody
Who saved my soul
Ever since You rescued me
You gave my heart a song to sing
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus”
I long for the holiness of Jesus. The way to get to that holiness is through practicing the Ten Commandments, living the Beatitudes, and helping others through the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. I wish that I could be as holy as the saints in heaven. Sometimes I feel that holy, and then God lovingly gives me a dose of humility and I remember to whom I belong. I am His and He knows that I’m trying and still not perfect. I’m longing for holiness like the lyrics of the song “Holiness is What I Long For” by Donnie McClurkin. I have been singing this song since high school, adding new lyrics as I saw fit.
“Holiness, holiness is what I long for
Holiness is what I need
Holiness, holiness is what You want from me, from me…
Holiness, holiness is what I long for
Holiness is what I need
Holiness, holiness is what You want from me”
I hope one day I can be that holy and lead others to holiness. In the meantime, I’ll keep teaching those middle schoolers to be kind and work hard.