BE HOLY BECAUSE
I AM HOLY
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “Be Holy Because I Am Holy.”
That’s the last line in today’s first reading from 1st
Peter 1:16. Peter says,
“for it is written, ‘Be holy because I am Holy.’”
Where is that written?
It refers to the sacred writings in Leviticus 19:2 - in
fact that whole section of Leviticus which starts with Chapter 17 talks about
holiness.
ROOT MEANING - OF THE HEBREW WORD FOR HOLINESS
In his Dictionary
of the Bible - John McKenzie SJ - says, “In the opinion of most scholars the Hebrew root KDS has the basic meaning of
separate.”
Separate: as in the difference between holy and unholy….
Separate: as in the difference between sacred and
secular.
That makes lots of sense to me.
There is a difference between a coffee cup and a chalice.
If someone walks into the sacristy with a Dunkin Donuts coffee cup in hand,
they might rest it or leave it on a counter - and then toss it in the garbage
when they are finished. A gold chalice gets washed carefully and goes in the safe.
Saints - holy people - are often portrayed as separate -
different - very safe to follow.
We who are God seekers.
We are all safe seekers.
Why are we here - in this church this morning - but to be
with God? - we feel separated from God. We want to be with God, the Holy One.
So we walk in here - into this holy place - called church - to be washed, to
feel cleansed by God.
When we sin or make mistakes we feel unclean - even more
separated from God.
The little kid who steals the candy - or breaks a dish -
or spills the water - says, “Uh oh!” - lowers his or her head, and can’t look
into the eyes of her or parent. They feel separation.
The arrested person puts a jacket or a newspaper in their
face when they are being marched into a court house.
Shame - shame on you. You’re not being like God. You’re
separate in comparison to the bigger person - God - a parent - an authority
figure.
The whole Bible
has the message - to bridge the separateness from God - to become holy - while
at the same time talking about sin and uncleanness.
Priesthood means bridge. Christ is the Pontifex - the
Bridge. Christ is the Holy One - the One
from God - who came to us - to bring us to God - and remove all barriers -
separators - walls. Christ is the Holy
One. Christ is the one who bridges the separation
between us and God the Father.
If you get that basic idea of holiness - I’m happy with
this sermon.
Holy means separate.
God and me - no comparison.
God and me - no connection.
God and me - so different - so separate.
CONNECTING
Yet down deep - we
want to connect - be with God - perhaps starting - out of fear - but moving
towards love and communion - holy communion.
Pope Francis - just recently came out with a whole document
on Holiness.
It’s wonderful stuff.
You can get it and read it on line for free.
It’s basic. It’s simple. That’s Francis’ style.
The Second Vatican Council came up with Chapter 5 in its
major document on the Church - that the whole church is called to holiness.
Merton, Von Balthasar, Both Teresa’s, most spiritual
writers tell us we’re all called to be holy.
Their major message is communion - prayer - becoming holy
like God - and then going out - crossing the bridge from holiness into sin and
selfishness.
Christ calls us to work hard to make this world we’re
in - a better place - a better space.
That’s why we have holy places like churches - sanctuaries - where we can
become like God - Holy.
CONCLUSION
The title of my homily was, “Be Holy Because I Am Holy.”
I was going
elsewhere, but when I thought about the idea of separate, I said to myself, “Let’s
explore that.”
I ask you to do likewise.
