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Seeking Christian Perfection as Mothers (3)
"Essentially, the perfection of the Christian life consists in charity, first and foremost in the love of God, then in the love of neighbour...(St Thomas) Charity required for perfection may then be defined [as a ] charity so well established in the soul as to make us strive earnestly and constantly to avoid even the smallest sin and to do God's holy will in all things out of love for him."
Rev. Adolph Tanquerey, "The Spiritual Life", Belgium, Desclee & Company, (about 1930), p159.
posted by Holly at 4:05 PM
2 Comments:
So, the 'seeking of Christian perfection' for Mothers is simply a firm decision on our part to follow Christ in a deeper way; to take the road a little less travelled than the minimum requirements to remain in a state of grace, such as obeying the Ten Commandments alone.
It is refusing to settle for the least of effort, and to seek out ways to fulfill God's intent for us conscientiously, here and now, in the vocation He has called us to.
Seeking Christian perfection is to do more than merely avoid evil, but to positively practice virtue and commit to growth in union with Christ.
It is to strive after God first and foremost and to do all He asks out of love for him.
It is to view our vocations as the mission from God which they are, not merely as something we do because we like it, or have a natural tendency toward family life.
And it is to love others , not with a mere human love and affection, but as God loves them, because God loves them, in the way that God loves them -- selflessly, sacrificailly, self-givingly...
Above all, seeking Christian perfection in the married vocation calls for a new and unique intent to set out on this path and the making of a conscious commitment to live it.
Holly,
These are wonderful posts. Thank you for all your hard work. I look forward to studying this more with you.
Because of your quotes I have begun reading two books on Spirituality: the Tanquerey book you quote quite often and The Three Conversions in the Spiritual Life by Garrigou-LeGrange which I just happened upon. This is a whole new world being opened up to me on the Catholic Faith that I never knew existed. I thought that one was either a contemplative or not. And, to be honest, I didn't think I was, simply because of my hectic, very noisy days. I had no idea that there are actually steps one can take to BECOME contemplative and that it was even possible for me. Awesome!
Leslie
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