Soul Food June 2008

“The Lord Jesus, our divine teacher and model of all virtue, preached holiness of life to everyone without exception. Through Baptism, we are cleansed of all sin, are made partakers of the divine nature, and are truly sanctified. Our goal now is to hold onto this gracious act of sanctification that we have received from Christ. St. Paul lays out a practical plan for holiness:

‘Put on, then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another. If one has a grievance against another, as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.’ (Colossians 3:12-13)

“This is a strong challenge that we cannot meet by human strength alone.”

United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, "Chapter 15: Baptism: Becoming a Christian" (USCCB Publishing; available through Our Sunday Visitor).