CHESAPEAKE, VA (Catholic Online) - Years ago I returned to Southeastern Virginia after several years pursuing graduate studies in Washington, DC. When word got out of my return to the area, a local group identified with the Catholic charismatic renewal asked if I could fill in at the last minute for a speaker who was scheduled to speak at their Pentecost Prayer Rally but had to cancel. It was the day before the event. I agreed.

The only direction I received was to share my thoughts on the most important work of the Holy Spirit. In retrospect, I think they hoped I would zero in on spiritual gifts. I certainly do believe they are available to Christians today. However, I did not do so. Instead, I shared my conviction that the most important work of the Holy Spirit is producing holiness in men and women who follow Jesus - because what the contemporary age needs more than anything else is Saints. All these years later I am more convinced than ever of this reality. 

The Saints we honor as Catholic Christians are given to us as examples to emulate as well as intercessors to assist us in responding to our vocation. They are companions on the journey; men and women like us who responded to God's invitation to become like Jesus. They pray for us because we are joined with them in the eternal communion of love. They put legs on the Gospel, showing us what holiness looks like. However, if we stop there, we miss the mark. We are called to become saints, to be perfected in charity, to grow in holiness.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us "All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity. All are called to holiness: "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (CCC #2013) Christians are saved from sin, death and separation from God, through Jesus Christ. However, we are saved for holy living. We are to live differently because we live in Jesus Christ. We are to love differently, because we love in Jesus Christ. And all of this is made possible, when we cooperate with grace. The character of Christ is being formed in us in order to shine through us to others.

As I age these words become ever more sobering, "Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." ( Matthew 5: 43-48)

The admonition from Jesus is repeated in other Gospel accounts and developed in several New Testament Epistles. Perhaps our problem with understanding and responding is that we confuse the meaning of the word, "perfect". Filtering this word through our linguistic limitations, we may not even attempt to respond to the admonition.  Jesus has saved us from - and saved us for. We tend to focus on what we are saved from and forget what we are saved for. We do not yet comprehend who we are to become.

In Greek, the word often translated perfect is telios. It refers to something being completed, brought to its full purpose, potential and intended end and vocation. For example, in the world of objects, a hammer is telios or perfect when it is hammering a nail. In the world of subjects, things are telios or perfect when they are fulfilling their nature. In our Western minds, we limit this word "perfect" and thereby fail to grasp its promise and potential. We equate it with being sinless, in the sense of never again making a wrong choice. We think of it mathematically rather than relationally.

The God who is Love fashioned us in His Image. We are made to become love. To love as He loves. In Jesus Christ, we are now capacitated - to use a term frequently used by the early father and Bishop Ireneaus of Lyons - made capable - by the grace of His Redemption, of actually doing so. "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him" (1 Jn 4:16).

Notice that the concept of being "perfected' is also applied to Jesus by the author of the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews in chapter 5 verses 8-9: "Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him."

Jesus was made perfect through what He suffered. Yet, Jesus was without sin. How then was He perfected? He came into the world to redeem, to transform us by His entire life, and death, and  Resurrection, of perfect love. He fulfilled His purpose when He presided ...