Showing posts with label Holy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holy. Show all posts

Monday, January 22, 2018

Do you aspire to be holy?

Having moved from being Roman Catholic to Unitarian Universalist, it seems that the word "holy" is not used as much, if at all in UU. The RCs have their saints that they revere as being holy and the holiness of the saints is to be emulated. In UU, the sacred, the reverential awe for people who embody the holy seems downplayed or even nonexistent.

Whatever happened to the adjective "holy"? We don't use it anymore. I can't remember when anyone used it in a reverential way. It gets used in a mocking way as part of vulgar exclamations such as "holy smokes," or "holy shit," but we rarely refer anymore to "holy matrimony," "holy orders," or a person as aspiring to be or as being "holy."

It would be helpful if we brought the word back and used it more in our daily conversations. If asked, "do you know anyone you would describe as holy" what would you say?

Holy means dedicated to God, consecrated to the divine, aspiring to be one with God. Knowing someone holy, and aspiring to be holy yourself can change your life. Aspiring to be holy means you have chosen the path of the spirit instead of the path of the ego. In making this choice to walk the path of the spirit and aspiring to be holy changes your life. Other people may or may not notice the holiness which surrounds you, but you know it because it fills you with peace and joy even in distressful circumstances when other people are agitated.

Holiness draws people together. People are attracted to it like bees to a flower. People become aware of the fragrance especially if they are on the path of the spirit and not the ego themselves.

It might be assumed that if you are reading this, you have embarked on the path of the spirit and are aspiring to be holy, dedicating yourself to the path of the spirit even if you haven't thought about your choice in these terms. Holiness attracts and takes delight in holiness. Holiness is aspired to for no rewards other than its own. It seeks and takes comfort in its Oneness with God. The litmus test for holiness is the desire to do God's will. Discerning God's will is the primary concern of a holy person.

Let's bring the word back. When you experience holiness acknowledge it and share it. When you see it in others take comfort, admire it, and seek to emulate the holiness you see.
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