A central doctrine held by many of the Church Fathers is that the essence of our lives is not in trying to make ourselves worthy of God; it is not primarily about moral excellence or any sort of human achievement. Rather, the essence of our lives is to live out the implications of being drawn, in Christ, into a dignity infinitely beyond our merits or expectations, drawn into the very life of God, made children of God, rendered holy. Living out the implications of that life means we seek and celebrate holiness as we are being made saints (beyond canonized saints or any personal recognition).

 

Lent is a rich season in our pursuit of holiness. Its history as a 40-day season traces to the 4th century as a preparation for and renewal of our baptismal commitment. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are the three historical pillars of Lent and are essentially practical means by which to pursue what Bishop Robert Barron identifies as three paths to holiness: 1) find the center; 2) know you are a sinner; and 3) realize and embody the truth that your life is not about you – mission.

 

Find the center. A saint is someone whose life, at the heart, is about one thing – Christ. When we allow ourselves to be invaded and rearranged by a relationship with God, all the energies, aspirations, and powers of our heart, mind, and soul fall into a beautiful and satisfying order. This is what C.S. Lewis means when he says: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” In addition to receiving the Eucharist/Holy Communion and studying scripture, prayer is a powerful way to center our lives on Christ. Meaning simply that we take the time to lift our minds and hearts to God, it could be a few quiet moments in our daily commute or a prepared time: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.” Matthew 6:33

 

Know you are a sinner. G.K. Chesterton said the saint is the one who knows he’s a sinner. It is by the light of Christ that we become acutely aware of our blemishes, and this is not denigrating but liberating because it enables us to break through our self-illusions and deceptions that stand in the way of joy. Fasting is a Lenten act of penance that seeks to “put to death” our sinful nature as part of the beautiful gift of sanctification. “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13

 

Realize and embody the truth that your life is not about you – mission. A saint is someone who in their bones perceives that there is a gracious Providence at work in the universe, that we are participating in something and Someone infinitely greater than ourselves, that every moment and every creature is an ingredient in the divine plan…and by this, the saint lives in joyful surrender and with a sense of wonder. Hans Urs von Balthasar describes this as rejecting the “ego-drama” – which is life as written, directed, produced, and starring me – and surrendering joyfully to the “theo-drama” – which is life as written, directed, and produced by God, and starring Christ living in me. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me,” Galatians 2:20. When we realize and embody that our lives are not about us but are about Christ’s love in us, we may then live out the implications of being rendered holy. We may live a life grounded in the two greatest commandments. We may live a life set apart for mission. As Christians, mission or ministry is not something we do; rather, it is inseparable from our lives, it is who we are. Almsgiving (taking care of the poor) is a traditional Lenten practice, but mission can take a billion forms depending on your life’s circumstances, your personality, etc. One commonality we always share is that every day we have an opportunity to do some simple act of love.

 

In my life presently, as a married man with a beautiful wife and three young children and a career as an attorney, the vast majority of my finite time and energy is naturally and rightly spent in those capacities. Accordingly, these responsibilities should not be deemphasized in the pursuit of a formal ministry or program, but should correspondingly be the greatest outflow and focus of my life as mission. Beyond these responsibilities, mission may include for me anything from secretly praying for fellow city bus passengers to serving in some capacity with the ministry of Young Life (YL). YL powerfully shares the Gospel beyond the doors of the Church by going to and developing relationships with middle and high school kids. YL is special to me for many reasons, and through it I’ve had the incredible privilege of helping kids feel known and loved. Presently I serve with YL as a member of the Board for the Gainesville area and, beginning this semester, as a host family together with Caline for a local YL team of college leaders.

 

As we move through Lent, I encourage us to pursue holiness together. Let us be centered on Christ, let us do away with any self-illusions, and let us live for and love others wholly in our lives of mission. Let us celebrate those that have gone before us, and let us follow as saints.

 

 

 

Sean McDermott