So often, those of us who are trying to grow in the spiritual life, we see other people who seemingly have it all together, those who are really truly holy, and a thought comes to our minds that tells us: I could never be that holy. We tend to think that holiness is reserved for a few. And we get discouraged. But deep down, we have to recognize that’s a lie. Holiness isn’t reserved to just a few, it’s not a prize for the especially gifted. The Church tells us that holiness is the vocation given to every single person who has been baptized. Before we ever talk about what we do, what role we have, or what title we carry, the Lord first calls us to be holy and that call comes to us at the moment of our Baptism.

When we receive that Sacrament, something real happens in our lives. As we were reminded last week on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, in that moment we were claimed by God, we were joined to Christ, we were given a new identity as sons and daughters of the Father. Holiness is not about perfection. It is about belonging; it’s about allowing our lives to be shaped by the One who loves us the most, the One who has claimed us as His own.

Because of that identity, because of that relationship we have been given with God, discipleship is not optional. When we are baptized, we receive a mission, we’re sent to carry out a specific purpose. Ultimately, we share in Christ’s mission as priest, prophet, and king. That means we are called to live holy lives, to point others to God, and to lead by example. Holiness is not lived in isolation, it’s lived in the ordinary choices we make every day, in how we speak, forgive, serve, and love.

The Gospel today gives us the example of John the Baptist. He is an example of what true discipleship looks like; he shows us the way to carry out this mission given to us by the Lord. Notice, John doesn’t draw attention to himself, he doesn’t promote his own importance. What he does do, he simply points to Jesus and he says, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” That is the heart of holiness. It’s a life that has been transformed by the Lord and now directs others to the Savior. But that can only happen when there’s an encounter with the Lord.

John can do that because he knows Jesus. Holiness always flows from relationship. We cannot imitate Jesus unless we first spend time with Him. Prayer, the sacraments, honest reflection on our lives, those things allow us to recognize how the Lord has already been present, how He is guiding us, correcting us, and drawing us closer to Himself.

The saints remind us that holiness is always rooted in relationship. It grows from a real encounter with Christ and a willingness to remain close to Him. St. Paul’s life, and we see this in our second reading, changed because he met Jesus and allowed that encounter to reshape everything. St. Teresa of Ávila discovered holiness by learning how to pray honestly and stay with the Lord day after day. St. Francis of Assisi became holy by slowly surrendering his own desires and allowing Christ to reorder his heart. We see these things over and over again in the lives of the saints. None of them began as finished products. They became holy because they stayed close to Jesus, they listened to Him, they trusted Him enough to let their lives be transformed.

The same call is given to us. Holiness is not something we wait for someday. It is lived now, in our families, our workplaces, our friendships, and in the ordinary, daily routines of our lives. We grow in relationship with Jesus by spending time in prayer, participating in the sacraments of the Church – especially Confession – by reading and reflecting on Scripture, and seeking to follow Him in the choices we make. And yet, there will be days when prayer feels dry, when it seems like the Lord isn’t listening, or when our hearts feel far from Him. On those days, discipleship calls us to pray anyway.

You know, one of my spiritual directors in seminary once told me, “There are going to be days when you don’t feel like praying. Pray anyway. Sit your butt in the pew.” What he was telling me is that the Lord rewards faithfulness, even when that faithfulness happens in small and imperfect ways…because that is where holiness truly takes root.

At some point this week, ask the Lord where He wants us to grow in relationship with Him. How is He asking us to show up, to be faithful? In what ways is He wanting us to grow in holiness? Tell Him to make it clear and then have the courage to take a step in faith, even if that means taking a baby step. Because it all brings us closer to Him.

This is our vocation. We belong to Christ, we are called to be shaped by Him and to live in such a way that others, through us, come to recognize Jesus as the Lamb of God.

Photo: Josh Applegate. Used under Unsplash license.