Living Out God’s Call to Holiness: A Moral Life
Living out God’s call to holiness signifies the orientation of one’s entire life toward God: spiritual life, family life, professional work, leisure activities, friendships, and everything else. Living according to the moral law and the teachings of Christ becomes a way of life. It involves setting oneself apart from worldly patterns to align with God's character, cultivating a life of moral purity, and reflecting His love through intentional daily actions. It is a proactive response to divine grace, powered by the Holy Spirit to overcome sin and manifest virtue, righteousness, and obedience in all conduct.
Living out God’s call to holiness is a universal Catholic vocation requiring a moral life rooted in grace, sacraments (especially Eucharist and Confession), and daily charity, not mere willpower. It involves transforming ordinary duties into service, practicing virtue, and following God's will in all circumstances, as emphasized in Pope Francis' Gaudete et exsultate.
“True justice comes about in people’s lives when they themselves are just in their decisions; it is expressed in their pursuit of justice for the poor and the weak. While it is true that the word “justice” can be a synonym for faithfulness to God’s will in every aspect of our life, if we give the word too general a meaning, we forget that it is shown especially in justice towards those who are most vulnerable: “Seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (79)
It is not just a set of arbitrary rules determined by social agreement. It is based on objective moral principles discovered by reason, revealed by God, and taught and perfected by Jesus Christ. “Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord.” (Ps 119)
The moral law is for everyone, regardless of religious belief, because it reflects universal and objective truth. It is founded on the natural law, and interior code of conduct written on the human heart by God. The natural law can be known through reason but, because of Original Sin, people often distort it to accommodate sinful behavior. Nevertheless, everyone knows, at least on some level, that there is a moral law that applies to everyone.
Catholic moral law is founded on the Ten Commandments (the Decalogue) and perfected by the Beatitudes, serving as the essential blueprint for a life of Christian love and union with God. While the Commandments offer fundamental, mandatory guidelines for behavior toward God and neighbor, the Beatitudes offer deeper, transformative attitudes for holiness.
Revealed to Moses to guide God's people, the Decalogue (Exodus 20) consists of two parts: loving God (1-3) and loving neighbors (4-10). The Beatitudes, taught by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (See Mt. 5) represent the "New Law" or the "Spirit of the Law". They do not replace the Commandments but fulfill and perfect them by focusing on the interior "attitudes and actions" of the heart. The Catechism explains the concept of beatitude, emphasizing that true happiness comes from God alone and not from worldly possessions or achievements.
CCC 1717: “The Beatitudes depict the countenance of Jesus Christ and portray his charity. They express the vocation of the faithful associated with the glory of his Passion and Resurrection; they shed light on the actions and attitudes characteristic of the Christian life; they are the paradoxical promises that sustain hope in the midst of tribulations; they proclaim the blessings and rewards already secured, however dimly, for Christ's disciples; they have begun in the lives of the Virgin Mary and all the saints.”
According to popular culture, self-indulgence, material gain, and riches are indispensable for happiness and fulfilment. Christ declares exactly the opposite. Self-denial and detachment from material things are necessary conditions for true human perfection and lasting happiness. Only a heart formed in a spirit of meekness and humility can be filled with the life of Christ. Suffering on account of Christ and the Gospel, though counterintuitive, leads to real joy in this life and rich rewards in the next.
—Deacon Gerry Flamm
“Dear children! I am looking at you and I see that you are lost. That is why I am calling all of you: return to God, return to prayer—and the Holy Spirit will fill you with His love which gives joy to the heart. Hope will grow in you, also for a better future, and you will become joyful witnesses of God’s mercy in you and around you. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
