Dominica XVII post Pentecosten - Spiritual Life (Desire for Perfection)

In what seems like another era entirely, but was in fact only two years ago, I gave a sermon series on the Spiritual Life, more specifically, the four necessary exterior means for growth in holiness and spiritual perfection, namely, Spiritual Direction, a Rule of Life, Spiritual Reading, and the Sanctification of Social Relations.

During the month of October this year, I have decided to give another series on the Spiritual Life, in this case, the four necessary INTERIOR means for growth in holiness and spiritual perfection, which we can enumerate as follows:

Knowledge of God and knowledge of Self

Conformity to the Divine Will

Prayer

and the subject of today’s sermon, the Desire for Perfection.

Before we get into the Desire for Perfection, we should first of all define what we mean by desire. Desire in general is a movement of the soul toward the good that is absent. There are two kinds of desire, one is a feeling or passionate impulse toward a sensible good that is absent; and the other, the rational desire, is an act of the will tending toward some spiritual good. In the supernatural order our good desires are influenced by divine grace.

We may defire the desire for perfection as, “an act of the will, which, under the influence of grace, ever seeks after spiritual progress.” While it may be accompanied by pious sentiments, those are not necessary.

God, from all eternity, desires to unite Himself to us. His unfailing love pursues us as if His own happiness were incomplete without us. Then when our own soul, illumined by faith, looks into itself, it finds an immense void that nothing but the Infinity of God can fill. Our soul longs for God, for His love and perfection, like the deer that yearns for fountains of water. Since on earth this longing will never be satisfied, it follows that if we place no obstacle in the way this desire will contantly grow.

Unfortunately, obstacles abound that tend to weaken or stifle this desire, such as the threefold concupiscence, the fear of difficulties to overcome, and the effort required on our part to cooperate with God’s grace. Hence we have to be firmly convinced of the necessity of this desire if we wish to foster it.

EXPLANATION: The necessity and qualities of the Desire for Perfection

The desire for perfection is the first step towards attaining it, and the indispensable condition for attaining it. The road to perfection is arduous and requires constant effort, as no one can make progress in the path of God’s love without sacrifice.

Hence, everything in the Sacred Scriptures tends to inspire us in this desire. The Gospels and Epistles are a continuous exhortation to perfection, they propose Jesus Christ Himself as our model, they recount His virtues, and urge us to follow His example.

The experience gained from reading the lives of the saints shows us that without the frequent renewal of this desire for perfection, there is no progress in the spiritual life.

Psychology demonstrates that an idea deeply impressed tends to elicit a corresponding act, and this is even more true when the thought is accompanied by the desire, because desire is an act of the Will that sets our faculties in motion.

In the supernatural order, desire constitutes a prayer, an elevation of the soul towards God, a sort of spiritual communion which lifts our soul towards Him and draws Him to us. God delights in answering our prayers, especially when their object is our sanctification. The more ardent our desires, the more abundant the graces we receive. Desire also, in a certain sense, enlarges the soul, rendering it more receptive of divine communications.

To attain such happy results, the desire for perfection must be supernatural , predominant, persevering, and practical.

The desire for perfection must be supernatural, in other words, it must be based upon reason enlightened by faith, and it must be conceived under the influence of grace.

It must be predominant, in other words, it must outdo every other desire in our hearts. Perfection is that pearl of great price which must be bought at any cost, so we must desire it above everything else.

It must be persevering. As we have already said, seeking perfection is a long and arduous work, calling for constant progress, hence the desire to do better must be renewed frequently. We must never be complacent, rather we must always look ahead to see the way we must travel and redouble our efforts. St. Augustine reminds us, “Linger not on the way, stray not from it… Always strive, always move, always advance.”

Finally, the desire for perfection must be practical, because it is not directed to an impossible ideal. It is fidelity in little things that ensure fidelity in greater things. Our desire for perfection should motivate every one of our duties, no matter how trifling or mundane they may be. We must always have a high ideal, but our desire needs to be realized in our immediate circumstances.

IMPLICATION: Means to Stimulate this Desire

How then do we stimulate this desire within ourselves. The desire for perfection takes root and grows chiefly through meditation and prayer. We must reflect on the great truths we have talked about today, on the greatness of the life which God Himself communicates to us, on the beauty and wealth of a soul that cultivates it, on the delights that God has in store for it in heaven.

We must meditate on the lives of those saints who grew daily in holiness due to their strong desire for perfection. We must also pray for the grace to deepen our conviction that growth in perfection is essential to every Christian.

A wise and well-trained spiritual director should awaken our desire for perfection, as well as spending time each month in recollection and making a yearly retreat, renewing that desire within ourselves.

Providential trials, both physical and moral, such as illness, death, professional or financial setbacks are often accompanied by interior graces that urge us on to a more perfect life, provided we take advantage of these ordeals to turn to God. They wean us from earthly things, purify our souls through suffering, inspire us with yearing for Heaven and for perfection, which is the way to Heaven.

Lastly, there are times when the Holy Ghost produces interior movements in the soul, inclining it towards a life of greater perfection. He enlightens us on the vanity of human things, on the happiness flowing from a more complete gift of self to God, and urges us to greater efforts. We must profit by these interior graces to hasten our progress.

In making use of these various means we shall continually, or at least habitually keep our wills fixed on perfection. Then upheld by God’s grace, we shall more easily triumph over obstacles. No doubt there will be slight failings now and then, but spurred on by the desire of advancing, we shall courageously resume our march, and our little setbacks, by exercising us in humility, will serve to draw us nearer to God.

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