In his homily at mass yesterday, the priest mentioned that
when he was formation director at his community, a novice came to him and
asked, “How do I know when I have become holy?” The priest replied, “I don’t
have a spiritual thermometer you can stick in our ear or under your tongue!
However, you can ask yourself: Have I changed since I became a novice? Have I
grown closer to God? Have I allowed God to grow closer to me?”
The last question particularly caught my attention.
Benedictines focus on seeking God, but sometimes I wonder if we unconsciously
keep God at arms length. We might do this because we feel unworthy of God’s
attention, or because we fear losing who we are if we become intimate with God,
or because we are afraid of what God might ask of us if we let God get too
close.
Allowing God to grow closer to us is a lifelong process of
keeping the channels of communication open through daily prayer/lectio divina.
As we grow in trust, love will cast out our fear, and our spiritual thermometer
will glow with joy and zeal, true indications of holiness.
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