I am consistently engaged in a never-ending series of home upkeep projects, because I want to be a good steward of the gifts God has granted to my family. Even though I have to turn immediately to the next item on the list, completed projects are always satisfying. Still, along the path toward satisfaction, I experience many moments of frustration and discouragement. These happen because I am confused, not knowing the proper steps, or when I don’t have the proper tools.
This frequent scenario, has opened up lengthy reflection on the fact that the right tools make all the difference for achieving an objective. Along the way, I have wondered what wisdom I might find in the Scriptures about this idea. Searching the Old Testament, I read in Proverbs that “abundant crops come by the strength of the ox” (Prov. 14:4). Ecclesiastes teaches, “If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed” (Eccl. 10:10). In both these cases, God’s revelation tells me that practical needs will be met by practical solution and specific tools. More importantly, the second passage—along with others from the Old Testament (see Ps. 90:16-17 and Prov. 1:1-7, for example)—reminds me that the practical tool must be accompanied by a savvy, that is, a deft understanding of how best to apply the tool.
As I am prone to do, I ask next about the right tools—the best tools—to live my Catholic faith well, to achieve my life’s objective. Before thinking about tools, do I know the objective that I am trying to accomplish? Do I have access to tools that will help me to accomplish the result I desire? What are those tools? A quick dive into the New Testament yields quite a few important passages that allow me to know the objective the Lord has for my life, along with practical application of the tools He provides.
THE OBJECTIVE
The two pillars of the early Church, Saints Peter and Paul, lay out the objective simply and clearly. In his first letter, Peter admonishes Christians to be transformed from the “passions of your former ignorance” and, instead, to “be holy in all your conduct” (1 Pet. 1:14-16). In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes that God has chosen them “before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Eph. 1:4). He writes even more simply to the Thessalonians, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thess. 4:3). It is abundantly clear, then: holiness is the objective.
Given the fact, which tools does God provide, enabling me to attain holiness most surely? I find four catalogued in the New Testament, meaning they have been in place since the earliest days of Christianity. They are: (1) prayer and worship, (2) right doctrine and teaching, (3) community, and (4) mission and the works of mercy. Every Christian needs these four tools, and the wisdom to employ them well, for the sake of arriving at holiness.
PRAYER
For all of salvation history, God’s people have been called to relate to Him, engaging in an intimate conversation. Glimpses of that relationship are found in Old Testament episodes, all of which are fulfilled in Jesus. The Gospels frequently note the fact that Jesus provides an example of prayer to His disciples. He shows the necessity of quiet time to relate to the Heavenly Father. On at least a couple of occasions, readers are treated to the most intimate glimpses of that conversation: St. John’s record of Jesus’ high priestly prayer at the Last Supper (see Jn. 17) and St. Matthew’s record of Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before His trial and crucifixion (see Mt. 26:36-46).
Beyond that, Jesus teaches the perfect prayer when His disciples ask for instruction (see Mt. 6:9-13; Lk. 11:1-4). We can and should faithfully use the words as Jesus gave them to us. At the same time, our hearts might also be moved to pray with different words that well up from our hearts. In those cases, His revealed prayer also provides a formula for growing in relationship and holiness. That formula consists of: (1) praise and adoration of God, (2) contrition for our sins and a desire for mercy toward others, (3) a detachment from my own will, (4) a request for guidance and sustenance along the journey. The pattern identified here helps move me to a place where I can have a conversation with the Lord without prescribed words—real prayer, that is—which relies on the guidance of the Holy Spirit (see Jn. 16:13 and Rom. 8:26, for example).
WORSHIP
The intimate conversation of prayer leads to an even more intimate way to related to God. Sacrificial worship is the most profound and effective means available to me for attaining the objective of holiness. God has asked His people to relate to Him by sacrificial worship offered in atonement for sins throughout salvation history. Again, examples abound in the Old Testament, and those are brought to fulfillment in Jesus’ perfect act of sacrificial atonement on Calvary.
And, before Our Lord went to His Crucifixion, He instituted a tool for those He would later soon send to the ends of the earth (see Acts 1:8). The night before His death, He celebrated a New Passover, transforming and elevating the prescribed worship for the People of God. He forespoke the fact that He would be the Perfect Sacrifice, offered in final atonement for the humanity’s sin and each person’s sins. He gave specific direction to celebrate this New Passover, the Eucharist, often. The early Church understood the command, evinced by St. Paul handing on to the Church at Corinth exactly the same formula Jesus used (see 1 Cor. 11:23-26). If it was important enough for St. Paul to teach new Christians, it must be important for every generation since, including my own.
Participating in Eucharistic worship—and the other sacraments that point toward it—is the highest expression of our relationship with the Lord. It is the very sharpest tool I can access for a number of reasons. It causes me to recognize my broken, sinful condition (which I cannot repair on my own). It fills my mind and heart with God’s revealed truth. I can attach my own sufferings and sacrifices to His as a meager offering. Finally, I am made aware of my mission to bring this truth to others.
Now, knowing the efficacy of prayer and worship, I ask the Holy Spirit and the Church to show me how to pray and worship well. Do I need to commit to more frequent or regular prayer? Do I experience more consolation from God when I pray with the Scriptures, in front of the Blessed Sacrament, interceding for other people’s needs, or in some other way? Do I recognize that Mass is the most important thing happening on this earth? Do I need to make better effort to prepare for Mass? Do I seek out commentary on the Mass readings? Can I show more reverence by the way I dress for Mass? Am I called to serve in a liturgical ministry (lector or sacristan, etc.)? Can I express my reverence for the Eucharist by receiving in a different posture (on the tongue, kneeling, etc.)? Answering these questions in humility and courage will help gain wisdom and build strength for the ongoing project of holiness. Such wisdom will also shed light on the other tools identified in the remainder of this series.
Photo by Austin Ramsey on Unsplash
