To the Ends of the Earth: Witness – Week 3, Day 1 – Purity Requires Total Commitment

Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?

   And who shall stand in his holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

   who does not lift up his soul to what is false,

and does not swear deceitfully.

Psalm 24:3–4

To be a man is to struggle with temptation. To be a man of God, however, is to have the power, by his grace, to overcome temptation and live a life of spiritual and moral purity. Jesus told his followers to be perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect (Mt 5:48). He would not have given this command if it were not possible. The Greek word for perfect is teleios,¹ which means being complete in all aspects of our spiritual journey — our good works, our minds, our spiritual discipline, and our moral character. God’s grace enables us to become completely devoted to the cause of Christ, able to walk in the kingdom and ascend the mountain of the Lord. Our perfection comes as we surrender our lives daily to Jesus and desire him above all else.

We must cast aside all that is useless and seek what is holy and good. Like the bride seeking her lover (Song of Solomon 1:2) or the merchant seeking the pearl of greatest price (Mt 13:44– 46), we must be willing to commit ourselves to a life of complete and perfect surrender to the will of God. That commitment begins when we fix our eyes on God alone and allow his power to transform our lives. We seek God in his word, in his Church, in the sacraments, in godly fellowship with other men, and in the depths of our own hearts. Only then can we become men who are set apart to shine the light of Christ to the world.

Questions for reflection

What things in your life have you sought more than God? What keeps you from living a fully committed life for Christ? How can you commit to seeking a more perfect and complete life in Christ?

How does living a sold-out, perfect, and complete Christian life enable you to be a light to the world? In what ways have you seen God working to make you a better witness to others?

How can you support a brother in making a total commitment of his life to Christ this week?

Praying with Scripture

Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 Jn 3:2–3)

1. J. Steven Covington, “Be Perfect,” Catholic Answers, September 1, 1999, www. catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/be-perfect.

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