HOLINESS FRIGHTENS ME

St Claude De La Colombiere (1641-1682) was a French Jesuit priest and wrote this prayer:

“My God, I have no desire for great holiness, perhaps I even have a dread of it; but if in your mercy you will change me, give me courage, and detach me yourself from the world, at least let me put no obstacle in your way. You know what means to take so as to win my heart; these means are in your hands, you are the Master. Holiness frightens me; you can cure me of this false and foolish fear and make all easy to me that seems so difficult. You alone can do this.”

Holiness frightens me as well. Then again, shouldn’t anything with the word holy in it be a reason to be a little shaky, a little nervous… a little desire to take off our shoes? Maybe a little…but Paul, an apostle, wrote to us “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…” (Book of Colossians 3:12). The Father calls us holy, whether we fess up to it or not. A Holy Father cannot have unholy children.

“And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” Jesus