Break Down and Build Up

In trying to fully bring ourselves to a true understanding of our own place in God's great world and in His ultimate plan for salvation, it is often known that we need to rid ourselves of sin. Christ preached repentence (cf. Mark 1:15), and so we are instructed to become perfect like Christ. Granted, it will hopefully be through a cleansing in Purgatory where we are made perfect, but on this earth, through despising and leaving our sins, we can grow closer to the ideal that the Lord has in store for us.

Yet, it does not end with this. Not only do we need to cleanse ourselves from sin, but we also need to edify our souls so that we indeed take up our crosses and follow Christ. In ridding ourselves of evil, we open ourselves to the will of the Lord, and we prepare ourselves to movements of the Holy Spirit. But, when the Holy Spirit comes, if we do nothing with the movements in our heart, then what good can come about from God's gift of grace?

We need to utilize the gifts that the Lord gives us (remember the talents from the Gospel) nad grace is one such gift. If we are not striving to edify our souls and come closer to Christ through a perfection of our selves, then how much are we really living the Gospels? Yes, again, ridding ourselves of sin is the first step, but we need to do more. Just as we need grace, faith, and works, so too do we need to complete the works in our own souls. If we want to be perfect, then we need to be perfect in all things, not just void of sin. We need to do all things in Christ, for Christ, by Christ, and with Christ.

Only through through a true purgation of ourselves can we leave ourselves open for the will of the Father. And by building on this movement toward perfection, we can more fully understand what it means to take up our crosses and follow after Christ.