God loves us so much that He gave us His Son — Who redeemed us by dying on the Cross. God wants us to imitate Christ’s sacrificial love so that we can enjoy eternal life with Him.
How to Be Perfect
We are called — each one of us — to a life of personal holiness. Jesus gives us our marching orders when He says, “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).
How is it possible to “be perfect” as Christ is asking? On our own, we can’t, but with God’s grace, all things are possible. “In order to reach this perfection, the faithful should use the strength dealt out to them by Christ’s gift, so that…doing the will of the Father in everything, they may wholeheartedly devote themselves to the glory of God and to the service of their neighbor” (Catechism 2013).
Just as Jesus went through the Passion on Good Friday before rising on Easter Sunday, we are reminded that
the way of perfection passes by way of the Cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle. Spiritual progress entails the ascesis and mortification that gradually lead to living in the peace and joy of the Beatitudes. (Catechism 2015)
St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, — even though she died at the young age of 24 — has been proclaimed a Doctor of the Church for her spiritual teachings on the mystery of God’s love. Her way has been called “The Little Way” and it reminds us that charity is the soul of holiness (Catechism 826). She wrote the following:
If the Church was a body composed of different members, it couldn’t lack the noblest of all; it must have a Heart, and a Heart burning with love. And I realized that this love alone was the true motive force which enabled the other members of the Church to act; if it ceased to function, the Apostles would forget to preach the Gospel, the martyrs would refuse to shed their blood. (St. Therese of Lisieux, Autobiography of a Saint, tr. Ronald Knox. London: Harvill, 1958. p. 235)
Jesus Christ — Our Goal and Guide
So our true goal in life is to be holy, which is the perfection of charity (Catechism 1709). How do we know what it means to be holy — to love perfectly? We look to Jesus — to His example and His teaching. “The Word became flesh to be our model of holiness” (Catechism 459).
Jesus’s teaching was at the same time both simple and profound. How are we called to love? He tells us, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (Jn 14:15). What are those commandments? When asked which commandment is the greatest, Jesus says, “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” (Mt 22:36-39).
One of the most beautiful passages of Scripture which guides us to a better understanding the meaning of “perfect love” is the beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-11. “Jesus is the model for the Beatitudes and the norm of the new law: “Love one another as I have loved you” (Catechism 459; Jn 15:12).
The Beatitudes:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.
What’s Love Got to Do With Money?
So that is God’s call to us — to learn how to love! It’s up to us to cooperate with the grace God gives us so that we will respond generously and wholeheartedly to that call.
You might say, “Well, fine, Phil, my relationship with God is important to me, and I do want to grow in Christian love, but how is that going to help me establish financial goals?”
Growing in your relationship with Christ and being faithful to Him and His teachings is your number one goal in life and it should be your first financial goal as well! All of the other financial goals and priorities you set will flow from your decision to be faithful to Christ.
Remember, Jesus spoke often of money and possessions. There are over 2,000 references to money and material things in Sacred Scripture, and a wealth of guidance provided through the magisterial teachings of the Church. These teachings provide principles that can effectively guide our financial decision making in the following areas:
• Marriage and money
• Children and money
• The importance of having a financial plan
• Being free from debt
• Avoiding co-signing
• Giving
• Saving and investing
• Spending
These teachings give us confidence in what the Lord wants for us and from us and will lead us to true financial freedom. He has shown us the way — it’s up to us to follow Him. Remember what the Blessed Mother said at Cana, “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5). True love requires no less!
Phil Lenahan is Director of Media and Finance at Catholic Answers and author of Catholic Answers’ Guide to Family Finances. If you have a question you would like Phil to address, contact him at plenahan@catholic.com.
This article originally appeared in the National Catholic Register and is used by permission of the author.
