Always in need of renewal

THIS is how we should always feel. Regardless of the many

things we may already have accomplished or the high esteem we may

already have gained among the people, we should never forget that we

are always in need of renewal.

            The Church itself, already in a state of holiness for

being the very mystical body of Christ, admits that it has to

continually renew and purify itself. This is how the Catechism puts

it:

            “The Church, ...clasping sinners to her bosom, at once

holy and always in need of purification, follows constantly the path

of penance and renewal. All members of the Church, including her

ministers, must acknowledge that they are sinners.

                “In everyone, the weeds of sin will still be mixed

with the good wheat of the Gospel until the end of time. Hence the

Church gathers sinners already caught up in Christ's salvation but

still on the way to holiness.” (CCC 827)

            Thus, a Church institution that smugly claims its

spirituality is irreformably perfect is an anomaly, and is, in fact,

sowing the seed for its own self-destruction. It may have the

foundational charism from the Holy Spirit, but it should never forget

that it has sinners in her midst and, therefore, is always in need of

purification and renewal.

            And in spite of the original charism, the Holy Spirit may

make more modifications of that charism due to the changing

circumstances of the times. Fidelity to the charism is never a static

affair, since charism itself is neither a static, frozen or dead

thing. It is always alive and continues to adapt to the changing

circumstances. And our understanding of it can always stand deeper

improvement.

            Of course, it goes without saying that any development,

growth and modification on the original charism is always homogeneous.

The modifications are nothing other than a deepening and enriching of

the original charism, not radically changing that charism. The charism

is not meant to confine or restrict us to a certain way of life and of

doing things. It is always open to what the Holy Spirit prompts us to

do.

            This can somehow be gleaned from some words of Christ

himself. “For them I sanctify myself,” he said, “that they too may be

truly sanctified.” (Jn 17,19) Christ, who is holiness himself, goes

through the process of sanctifying himself still so as to sanctify

everybody else. Imagine that!

            Sanctity and everything involved in it—fidelity,

generosity, development of virtues, whether in the personal or

institutional levels—will always be a never-ending affair as long as

we are alive. It will always demand of us something. It is the

antithesis of the attitude that says enough to what the Holy Spirit

will show us.

            St. Peter also said something pertinent in his second

letter:  “Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to

goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to

self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to

godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

            “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure,

they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your

knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is

nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from

their past sins.” (1,5-9)

            We should never stop growing in our spiritual life which

is a matter of growing in our love for God and for others. We ought to

feel the constant need for conversion and renewal.