Holiness has to do more with the content of the vessel and less with the worthiness of the vessel. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit will transform our vessels of clay into His vessels for the kingdom. The first and continuing step in holiness is to ask for it: ask for His Holy Spirit to fill your heart. It is this holiness that ushers in the Kingdom. Rev. George W. Kosicki C.S.B.
Greetings dear family of our beloved Saviour Jesus Christ; may the Divine Spirit fill your hearts with the sweetest dew from Heaven – His loving and abundant grace. Amen
The Bible tells us that we must be holy to come before God; Jesus asks that we be “Perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mat 5:48) Many people feel they are unworthy, and will never be worthy of God’s Kingdom. They see others as being more ‘holy’ than themselves and they put themselves down. But what is holiness? Many people have the idea that holiness consists of being good and doing charitable deeds, of living a life of virtue. The simple answer is that ‘holiness’ comes from being filled with the Spirit of God, for it is GOD ALONE who is holy, and it is ONLY HE who can make us holy!
It is God’s Holy Spirit that changes our nature; “Holiness has to do more with the content of the vessel and less with the worthiness of the vessel.” We don’t need to be worthy of God’s love; it is His free gift towards us that we might become His children. “To all who received Him, who believed in His name, HE GAVE POWER to become the children of God.” (John 1:12) We are all the same; we are just poor vessels of clay longing to be filled with the love and power of God. We are all capable of holiness because we rely not upon ourselves but upon the POWER OF GOD, all we have to do is open our hearts and ask for it! Jesus said: “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you…” (Mat 7:7) “The first and continuing step in holiness is to ask for it: ask for His Holy Spirit to fill your heart.”
The greatest vehicle for receiving grace is to approach the Sacraments with humility – especially Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. We need also to ask for the intercession of Mary and the Saints.
God is love… GOD IS LOVE! (John 4:8) It is His nature to love, and it is His joy to have His love come alive within our hearts. If we rely upon ourselves it is impossible! At one time, Jesus’ disciples thought that it was too hard a thing to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, they asked Jesus: “Then who can be saved?” (Luke 18:26)
But Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)
To receive God’s gift we only need to be humble, repentant, and forgiving towards others, trying our best each day to receive God’s Word, allowing it to come alive within us, engaging our will and uniting our hearts to the heart of God in prayer. And so we need not worry if our vessels of clay are damaged, discoloured, or a little wobbly, if we allow Him, God will take possession of our vessels and fill them to the brim with His beauty! “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32) And “God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinner’s Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)
Heavenly Father, pour Your Spirit of love into our hearts; make us Your loving children. Allow nothing to enter into our hearts that is not of Your love, that nothing may come from our hearts but Your goodness and mercy. May the Holy Spirit govern and possess our hearts, souls and bodies, that we may be one with You in being the light of this world. In Jesus name. Amen
The Lord your God is with you; His power gives you victory. The Lord will take delight in you, and in His love, He will give you new life. ( Zephaniah 3:17 -TRV)
