The secret to holiness—an RCIA challenge

Beneath and Angel by Werner Kunz | Flickr

8 thoughts on “The secret to holiness—an RCIA challenge”

  1. Fr. Bob Cushing

    Thank God for the obvious – like breathing air!
    This reminds me of the same ancient wisdom that is so often missed as we look to the coming festival of the Baptism of The Lord: the tendency to look at Original Sin as more important than Original Blessing (read Original Holiness or original justice) Bob Cushing

  2. Nick, thank you for this post on holiness. I am a “young” 74 who can identify with you on this journey of a daily transformation pf a culture of production to a culture of holiness.

    Your question to all of us on which culture do we proclaim in the Catechumenate is an invitation to reflect on our own stance in life. Do I live like I have to earn or do I live believing in our God’s great desire to give. Thank you again, Nick. Happy new year to all!

  3. Hi Nick, I may be reading the article wrong, but it seems to me your saying we don’t need to strive to get to heaven, that we don’t need to produce good works, that we don’t need to avoid sin, that a daily battle as a Christian is a bad thing and all people even those who don’t believe in God are holy. Would not such a view, if that’s what you are conveying, contradict the teachings of Jesus Christ and His Church?

    1. Hi Ken. Thanks for your thoughts. Obviously, I’m not intending to contradict church teaching. I do think we need to do good and avoid sin and that we are always engaged in spiritual battle. But we cannot do any of those things without God’s grace. Everyone is filled with God’s grace, which is to say everyone is holy. So I do good works and avoid sin because God has gifted me, not so that I will earn God’s grace. It’s the motivation that matters. Pope Francis said that even atheists will go to heaven if they have sincere and contrite hearts and obey their consciences. My post was intended to reflect the pope’s teaching that God’s mercy has no limits.

  4. I too grew up with the notion that God was watching to see what I would do with the talents He gave me and I had to strive long and hard to do my best. Over time I learned that all He wants from me is to love – love Him and love others. So simple!

  5. Thank you, thank you, thank you. For years that was exactly what I thought was the most important thing to come out of Vatican II but I was never able to
    express it as well as your young lady did. I am
    “keeping” this for the next time I am “up” on presenting Vatican II at our RCIA!!!!! Great website Ken, I appreciate your sharing.

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