Called to Earthy Sanctity – I believe, I hope, and I trust! The Lord calls each to holiness according to their state in life. Earthy sanctity is encountering Christ in the world where the evils of sin abound to be an instrument that points to a greater good, an encounter with the living God, and a call to holiness for the body is clean but not all.
Some are called to holiness in detachment from the world through a cloister life, monasticism, and clericalism that offers a separation from the world dedicated to prayer, contemplation, and service structured in that order of priority. This comes through praying the Liturgy of the Hours throughout the day, the celebration of the Mass, daily Adoration time and in works to support self and offer service to others. Through this calling one can discover a rich interior life climbing the highest spiritual mountains and going deep into the interior darkness to find the light of Christ.
A deacon in our times is called to an earthy sanctity to battle sins of the world from within and without, to fight the good fight as a wounded warrior and to persevere to finish the race by going forth into the dark places of this world and bring the light of Christ where sin prevails. From God the earth radiates his glory in the spirit of life for eternity but also the threat of death from sin deceived by the seven capital sins: pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and acedia. Earthy sanctity carries its sin nature in search of purity of heart, mind, and soul with prayer, sacrifice, and charity. This day I surrender to you O’ God, this moment, and this challenge for your glory especially when the cross seems hard to bear.
Earthy Sanctity was caring for a dying man in the hospital as a nurse. His body so swollen with fluid it poured out of his pores dying from liver disease. It was debriding the gangrene off the foot of a man whose diabetes was not controlled and is trying to save his feet as you smell the stench of dead tissue. It was being a counselor helping a child victim of abuse by a parent who now is separated from their home into an unknown world of foster care for their protection depressed and feeling abandoned. It is administering a corporate company with the motto, “Changing hearts, Changing minds, Changing lives!” to prevent, intervene, and treat addiction. Climbing the corporate ladder is also sanctifying it each step of the way. It is daily facing the sins of the world as a sinner seeking to make a difference.
A deacon finds refuge in the sacramental life, in the sanctity of marriage, in raising a family, and in fellowship while serving God in the domestic church, in the universal church, and in the world. A deacon is to go forth in the economy of the world and the economy of salvation as a bridge that speaks to both in our times building up the kingdom of God. A deacon finds refuge in communion with God, in our loved ones, and in our mother church who offers us a legion of angels, saints and the most Holy Trinity. The one sent to us to awaken us in her apparitions is our Blessed Mother Mary and she remains to comfort us. The purity of her conception and life places the crown on her head to intercede for us when we turn to her and ask, “Pray for us”. Will her son deny her? Not then, at the wedding of Cana, not now!
The sun rises and the earth awakens to challenge God’s sons and daughters to subdue it. We dare to walk in sanctity as children of the light but not all is clean for our feet remain in need of washing our sins clean. In earthy sanctity we dare with courage to go forth with the armor of faith, hope and love to make holy ground.
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