Sanctity Is for All

From Meditation #2 of Divine Intimacy Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene, OCD, gives us a little to think about for our Advent spiritual progress:

Sanctity is not reserved for a few; Jesus, by His Incarnation and by His death on the Cross, Merited the means of salvation and sanctification for all who believe in Him.  He, the All-holy, came to sanctify us, and has taught us, "Be ye therefore perfect, as also Your heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt. 5:48).

Jesus did not give the precept to a chosen group of persons, nor did He reserve it for His Apostles and close friends; He proclaimed it to the multitude who were following Him.  St. Paul received His message and announced it to the Gentiles, "This is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thess. 4:3).  

And in our times the Church, speaking through the great Pope Pius XI, has repeated it strongly and on many occasions to the modern world: "Christ has called the whole human race to the lofty heights of sanctity….  There are some who say that sanctity is not everyone's vocation; on the contrary, it is everyone's vocation, and all are called to it….  Jesus Christ has given Himself as an example for all to imitate." 

And elsewhere: "Let no one believe that sanctity belongs to a few chosen people, while the rest of humanity can limit itself to a lesser degree of virtue.  Everyone is included in this law; no one is exempt from it."

Jesus comes not only to save me, but to sanctify me.  He is calling me to sanctity and has merited for me all the graces I need to attain it.

What confidence we should have in Jesus, that we do not have to perform this most arduous task by ourselves!  He is so generous with His graces.  We can only fail by our own refusal.

Pope John Paul II did the laity a great service when he canonized so many lay people.  Ordinary people like us seized the opportunity to practice extraordinary virtue.  In these days, can we do any less?