If you were to choose a color for your interior life, what would it be? - Daily Reflections August 27,2014

I DON’T WANT TO BE A WHITEWASHED TOMB

 

I do not want to be called a “whitewashed tomb.” “What is that?” I hear you ask. It means a hypocrite. Think of the contrast of the inside of a tomb (rotting and decaying flesh and bones) and the exterior look of a pure white and fresh coat of paint. You have the image now?

       The white exterior corresponds to how a life of virtue looks. The inside of the tomb, on the other hand, appears exactly the opposite. It is within our own power, and our own power alone, to determine which we are to be — the exterior or the interior of the tomb.

       This truth is at the heart of a virtuous life. The individual alone makes decisions on the degree to which he pursues a life of virtue. Yes, the grace of God makes it possible to do so, but without the person’s decision (albeit aided by grace), God’s grace cannot bring about holiness in his life. This argument was perfectly outlined in the scholastic doctrine of “grace building upon nature” — that is, if there is nothing for the grace of God to work with, no decision on the part of the individual, then no amount of grace will be able to achieve anything.

       The life of virtue has a human and individual element to it. This is why it is important to familiarize ourselves with the many different examples of how men and women open up their lives to the grace of God. This is also why I consider the most important formative phase of my life was when I was about eight years old. My dad would reflect with me daily about the life of the saint for the day. Ultimately, I think I owe my vocation to this practice, which I have continued to this day. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: If you were to choose a color for your interior life, what would it be?

 

Jesus, send Your Holy Spirit to guide me in choosing the right literature to read so that I will be inspired to live a holy and virtuous life.