“Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” – Matthew. 5:48
As Catholics, we are all called to strive for perfection. Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount what God expects of those who are baptized and desiring to walk according to His commands. After teaching the new perspectives required of a Christian, Jesus brings it all together with a command to “be perfect.” But that seems impossible. What is this perfection that He calls us to?
Let’s look at this virtue within the context of our Catholic Faith, seek to understand it more fully, and consider some practical steps to cooperate with God’s grace, so that we may grow in the virtue of perfection.
Understanding Perfection in a Catholic Context
The Catholic understanding of perfection that the Lord is calling us to is not a standard of flawlessness or an unattainable ideal. Rather, it refers to a state of completeness or wholeness, particularly in our relationship with God. We are perfect in as much as we live out the purpose for which we were created and reflect the image of Christ.
The way of perfection is about striving to trust God completely, to love Him above all things, and to love others for love of Him.
The Pursuit of Perfection: A Call to Love
Jesus taught his disciples that the pursuit of perfection is ultimately a call to love. In the Gospel of Matthew, when asked which commandment is the greatest, Jesus responded,
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39).
This call to love is not about having warm feelings or sentimental emotions toward God and others. It is a call to action, requiring us to selflessly commit ourselves to the good of others. It is a love that is willing to sacrifice and put the needs of others before our own.
The pursuit of perfection requires us to extend God’s love not only to those who are easy to love, but especially to those who may be difficult, unable to return our love, or even our enemies. Jesus taught that we should love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). This challenges us to set aside past injuries or offenses and choose to see others as God sees them, desiring their good even when they are working against us.
In the pursuit of perfection, love becomes the driving force and motivation for all that we do. It transforms our relationships, our actions, our attitudes and our perspectives. It allows us to reflect the love of God to the world, serving as a witness to His transforming grace. As we grow in this virtue, we reflect more and more the image of Christ, who is the perfect embodiment of selfless love.
Sanctifying Grace: Making Perfection Possible
Sanctifying grace, freely given to us by God, is the basis for our journey on the road to perfection. It is the life of God within us, transforming our souls, and enabling us to live as His children in ways that are pleasing to Him. It is this sanctifying grace that turns us from our natural inclination for self-preservation, and empowers us to live virtuous lives of love and sacrifice as we strive for perfection.
Cooperating with Sanctifying Grace
Our cooperation with sanctifying grace is vital. By responding positively to God’s grace and inspirations, we open ourselves to His transformative action in our lives. This cooperation involves our active participation in the sacraments, our commitment to prayer, and our efforts to live according to God’s commandments, all of which move us further along on the path to perfection.
In the next section, we will look at another key action in cooperating with God’s grace.
The Role of Resolutions in Striving for Perfection
Resolutions play an essential role in this journey as well. They represent our commitment and determination to align our will with God’s will. Resolutions are guideposts in our spiritual journey, helping us to readily respond to God’s promptings and to stay focused and disciplined in the practice of virtues.
Developing the Habit of Making Resolutions
St. Francis de Sales highly encouraged habitual resolutions at the end of mental prayer. He wisely knew the power of taking the insights received through reflection on God and His Word, and forming a spiritual goal to remember and practice throughout the day. This goal can be something as simple as spending a few extra minutes in prayer each day, or as challenging as forgiving someone who has hurt us, by whispering a prayer for them whenever we think about them.
A good resolution to always consider is the frequent repetition of loving aspirations to Our Lord and Our Lady, which will in turn help us to carry out our other spiritual commitments.
Aligning Our Resolutions with God’s Will
It is of utmost importance in our pursuit of perfection that we make resolutions in conformity with God’s will.
To do this, we must take the time in prayer to seek God’s guidance and to listen to His voice. As we make ourselves docile in prayer, opening ourselves to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we can be assured He will guide and inspire us, leading us to make resolutions for our good and the good of others.
A sincere desire to be in alignment with God’s will involves examining our motivations and intentions. Are our resolutions self-centered? Focused on worldly success? Or are they rooted in a genuine desire to grow closer to God and imitate the life of Jesus? By aligning our resolutions with God’s will, we focus on His kingdom and seek to live in a way that reflects His love and grace.
Renewing Our Resolutions
Renewal of our resolutions is necessary because our initial enthusiasm and determination can fade over time. Life’s challenges, distractions, and temptations can easily derail us from our path. It is vital to recognize that we cannot keep our resolutions without the help of divine grace. When we fail, for instance, to love or forgive or keep our temper in check, we can pray an act of contrition and make our resolution again, asking God, our Blessed Mother and our guardian angel to help us.
We should also renew our resolutions in prayer as we begin each day. By doing this, we reaffirm our commitment to our spiritual goals, and rekindle the fire within us to pursue perfection.
The Role of Suffering on the Path to Perfection
Suffering plays a crucial role on the path to perfection because it mirrors the journey of Jesus and allows us to imitate His sacrificial love. Jesus, as the ultimate example of holiness and perfection, willingly endured the cross for the salvation of humanity. By embracing suffering, He demonstrated profound love and obedience to God’s plan.
As followers of Christ, we are called to imitate His example by carrying our own crosses. This means accepting the trials, tribulations, and sufferings that we inevitably encounter in life. Rather than trying to avoid or escape suffering, we are called to face it with patience and perseverance, trusting in God’s guidance and providence.
We should also consider that when our goal is to grow in the virtue of perfection, that growth hardly ever comes apart from some kind of suffering or a crossing of our wills. As we engage in the battle against our natural tendencies, we are given the strength to overcome them, and so to make progress in the way of perfection.
“Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)
Beyond this, we know that our sufferings are ennobled when we offer them, through the sufferings of Christ, to the Father for the salvation of souls. Through the mystery of divine providence, suffering has the potential to deepen our union with God by giving us the opportunity to join in the salvific mission of Jesus in His Passion.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
Practical Steps to Help Us
Here are some practical steps that we can integrate into our daily lives to help us on our way.
- Regular Examination of Conscience: Examining our conscience enables us to assess our spiritual progress, identify areas of weakness, and make necessary adjustments in our journey toward perfection.
- Cultivating Virtues: Cultivating virtues like humility, charity, patience, and temperance help us align our thoughts, words, and actions with God’s will. One method is to make a resolution to study and practice a different virtue each month.
- Frequent Reception of the Sacraments: The frequent reception of the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist and Reconciliation, provides us with the spiritual nourishment and healing necessary for our journey toward perfection.
- Living a Life of Prayer: A life of prayer is another practical step towards perfection. Frequent and regular prayer deepens our relationship with God, sustains our spiritual life, and empowers us to live in accordance with God’s will.
The Value of Perseverance
The spiritual life is often compared to a marathon because it is a lifelong process that requires consistent effort, discipline, and endurance.
To achieve perfection in our relationship with God and others, we must have a steadfast commitment, what St. Teresa of Avila called, “a determined determination.” This commitment involves a deep love for God and a steadfast desire to follow His will. It means making a conscious choice each day to prioritize our relationship with Him, to seek His guidance, and to grow in the understanding and the practice of our faith.
Perseverance also entails remaining faithful to our spiritual disciplines. Regular prayer, participation in the sacraments, and adherence to God’s commandments are the foundations of the spiritual life. However, it is not always easy to maintain these practices consistently. There may be times when we feel spiritually dry, when we are tempted to skip prayer, or when we struggle with living out the moral teachings of our faith. In those moments, we can turn to Our Lady and the Saints who abounded in perseverance and ask for their prayers, trusting that God will be with us and provide the strength we need to continue in our efforts.
The Promise of Perfection
“And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)
The promise of perfection gives us hope and purpose in our journey of faith. It assures us that our efforts to grow in holiness and align ourselves with God’s will are not in vain. Perfection in this context, refers to the complete fulfillment of our potential as children of God in ultimate union with Him.
While it is true that we may not attain complete perfection in this life, every step we take towards it brings us closer to God. Each act of love, every instance of forgiveness, and every decision to live according to God’s commandments contributes to our advancement toward spiritual perfection. These small victories, when practiced consistently and through God’s grace, gradually mold and shape us into the likeness of Christ.
The journey towards perfection leads us to the abundant life that Our Lord promised to us (John 10:10). As we grow closer to God, we experience the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in their fullness. Living in communion with God, we find fulfillment and meaning beyond the transient pleasures of the world. Our lives become enriched with a deep sense of peace in His presence that surpasses all worldly happiness.
Conclusion
We are called by Christ Jesus to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect: whole, complete, with no deficiency. Striving for perfection as a Catholic is a lifelong journey. It entails embracing and cooperating with sanctifying grace, making and renewing resolutions that align with God’s will, and taking practical steps to grow in virtue. Remember, the journey to perfection is not a sprint, but a marathon, and we have been promised that our good intentions and efforts will always be met with the graces we need, for God is our generous and loving Father. So, let’s press on with perseverance, trusting in God’s grace and mercy to guide us through this valley of tears toward the perfection to which He has called each of us, in the blessed union of Heaven.
