Part II: The Holiness
of Jesus
The Cult
of
“Holiness”
A Compilation from the
Hearts
of
God the Father, Jesus
Christ & Our Lady of Emmitsburg, Saints, Popes and Scholars,
as well as from
the Catechism of the
Catholic Church
about
“Holiness”
(Compiled by Michael T. Sullivan, MD)
1. The Holiness of God
2. The Holiness of Jesus
3. The Holiness of Mary
4. The “Cult” of
Holiness—Our Personal Holiness
Introduction
“Praise and beauty are before Him.
Holiness and majesty His Sanctuary!”
(Ps 95:6)
In beginning this review of the virtue of Holiness,
it seems appropriate to establish some definitions to which we will refer
frequently. In the Modern Catholic Dictionary, “Holiness” is defined
first from the perspective of God Himself, and then in how it can be applied to
God’s creatures—namely humanity. It is primarily God-likeness. However, “Sanctity”
often implies the assimilation to Christ Who is God become Man; thus, sanctity
involves becoming more and more like Christ by imitating His human virtues.
Holiness: The Holiness of God identified
His separation from all evil. And among creatures, they are holy by
their relation to Him. In creatures it is characterized essentially by
the possession of Divine grace and morally by the practice of virtue. (Modern Catholic Dictionary,
Hardon, Fr. John, S.J.)
Sanctity: The Sanctity of God is His total
transcendence or total otherness. It is in this sense that the Church
prays in the Gloria of the Mass:
“You alone are the Holy One,
You alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High.”
All other sanctity is by participation,
so that a creature has as much sanctity as it shares in the Divinity.
Essentially it consists in the possession of sanctifying grace, although the
term is usually applied to persons who practice more than ordinary virtue,
especially the love of God and their neighbor. (Modern Catholic
Dictionary, Hardon, Fr. John, S.J.)
However, throughout the Words of God
the Father, the Lessons of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Messages
of Our Lady of Emmitsburg, the word “sanctity” is only
used once; therefore, the word “holiness” in these sources of
private revelation to the world through Gianna Sullivan becomes a commingling
of both of these definitions, holiness and sanctity.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
teaches us that:
“In all of His Life, Jesus presents
Himself as our model. He is ‘the perfect man,’ who invites us to
become His disciples and follow Him. In humbling Himself, He has given us an
example to imitate, through His prayer He draws us to pray, and by His poverty
He calls us to accept freely the privation and persecutions that may come our
way. Christ enables us to live in Him all that He Himself lived, and He
lives it in us….We are called only to become one with Him, for He
enables us as the members of His Body to share in what He lived for us in His
Flesh as our model.” (CCC 520-21)
In his conference on the Holy Eucharist
and Holiness in Priests, June 1978, Venerable Fr. John Hardon, S.J.,
speaks of holiness as “not only being in God’s friendship, it is
being Christ-like….No doubt expressions like… ‘the imitation of
Christ’ and ‘walking in the footsteps of Christ,’ are familiar enough….They
affirm the astounding fact that when God became Man in the Person of Jesus of
Nazareth, that Man was literally God walking on our earth, eating our food,
breathing our air, and living in every way, except sin, the human life that we
live. He did so not only to redeem us from Satan and hell, but to show us how
we can, with His grace, become like Him in virtue….
“…Where, dear Lord, can we obtain
the light and strength we need to follow in your footsteps, and thus become holy?
His answer is, ‘From Me!’….In the sacrament of the most Holy
Eucharist, there are truly, really, and substantially contained the Body and
Blood together with the Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and
therefore the whole Christ (Council of Trent, 1545-1563)….
“…Jesus Christ lived on earth in visible form in
order to teach us what it means to become holy. We become holy by
accepting His teaching and following His example….
Thus, as Catholics,…“We are to believe that the
Eucharist is Jesus Christ—simply, without qualification. It is God become Man
in the fullness of His Divine Nature, in the fullness of His human nature, in
the fullness of His Body and Soul, in the fullness of everything that makes
Jesus ‘Jesus.’ He is in the Eucharist with His Human mind and
will, united with the Divinity, with His hands and feet, His face and features,
and His eyes and lips and His ears and nostrils, with His affections and
emotions and, with emphasis, with His living, pulsating physical Sacred Heart.
That is what our Catholic faith demands of us that we believe….
“…Faith must supply what, as the Tantum
Ergo sings, ‘the senses do not perceive’….Faith reveals,
faith discloses, faith enlightens, faith empowers the mind to see what the mind
without faith cannot see…
“…Christ is on earth….because this is what He
told us….Those who believe will receive life…the kind of life
that belongs to God, the kind of life that Father, Son and Holy Spirit shared
and interchanged from all eternity. Those who believe will receive this life.
Those who do not believe will die….
“…This is what sanctity is all
about….Christ promises that, provided we believe in Him in the Eucharist,
He will sustain this life in our souls into eternity….He will even make this
life pour from our souls into our bodies, raised from the grave on the last day
and glorified by the vision of God….Those who believe deeply in the Real
Presence will benefit greatly from the Real Presence; those who believe weakly
will also benefit accordingly. The Eucharist is capable of working miracles
in our lives. So it can—after all, the Eucharist is Jesus!...He
is right here in the Eucharist, and He wants nothing more than that we also be
with Him as much as we can….” (The Holy Eucharist and Holiness in Priests,
Hardon, Fr. John, S.J., conference, June 29, 1978)
The Holiness of Jesus
“Glory in His Holy Name;
let the hearts of those
who seek the Lord rejoice!”
(1Chron 16:10)
Very early in 1988 in His Lessons to the
world through Gianna Sullivan, Our Lord expressed the seriousness
of His Mission and the critical need for all of His people to seek
Him, and no other, to seek His Holiness, and then to love,
be merciful toward and to reconcile with one
another:
“…I am here to save
you….This is not a game. This is true; for I am the Truth, and this is
serious!...I so love My people….I fasted for My people….When you fast, you are
cleansed with My Holiness. The purity of My Spirit
dwells in you and cleanses you….” (JOM, Vol I, #16, Dec. 13, 1988)
“…My people need to
grasp on to their faith and know that I dwell in them. They seek
the blessed in hopes that they will be brought by them to holiness and to Me. This
is wrong! They need to seek Me in themselves, and then
they will grow in My Holiness! It will be I, Who brings them to My Father….I
will make them blessed….I give My Holiness, not to some, but to all who
desire it….Seek Me and desire to grow in My Holiness!...It is all
possible—through Love!...” (JOM, Vol I, #45, Feb. 3, 1989)
“…You who desire Me to
dwell in you and have invited My Love, do not try so hard! Be at peace and
rest. Do not run ahead of My pace….Allow Me to live your burdens….Love
Me by loving one another. Love all, not selected ones of your choice;
and be patient….Do not live for momentary pleasure. Live for my
treasure of everlasting life. Practice what I teach, and you will begin to
live in the Holiness of My Oneness. Do not only read what I say to you.
Practice My words. My words shall take you all out of exile….” (JOM, Vol I, #56, June
8, 1989)
“Couple the gift of
Love with the gift of My Mercy, and you shall radiate in
My Holiness. This is all possible, My people, and it is yours—for I am
yours!....Reconcile with your brothers and sisters. Accept My
Mercy with certainty, and receive My Peace. You will be ever so
happy because I will be in you, and I am happiness. I am your
God of Love!” (JOM,
Vol I, #58, June 12, 1989)
“In this you rejoice,
even if now for a little while
you have had to suffer various trials,
so that the genuineness of
your faith—
being more precious than gold
that, though perishable, is tested by fire—
may be found to result in praise
and glory and honor
when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Although you have not seen
Him, you love Him;
and even though you do not see
Him now,
you believe in Him and rejoice
with an indescribable and glorious joy.”
(1Pet 1:6-8)
Undoubtedly there are obstacles
that almost all who desire to pursue His Holiness will encounter. Our Lord
points out several: that false piety that would seek exterior
recognition and notice, the fear of our own unworthiness
surpassing the awesomeness of Our Lord’s Holiness and Worthiness,
and the evil one’s attempts to thwart the promises of Our Lord
and the authenticity of the message of His Lessons to the world:
“…My people wish to be
holy, but they confuse holiness with fame….Holiness reflects
interior purity. Any man can reflect an exterior goodness, but
it is the interior purity I see to judge worthiness of My
Holiness….I notice the unnoticed and weigh the intentions of the heart….Those
who seek My Kingdom, and desire to live in My Holiness, I assist and notice….If
you desire My Holiness, then come to Me with humility and
without expectations. …Holiness is not a virtue to prove or show
to your fellow brother. It is a state of your soul. If you are holy, you have
such a strong self-confidence in your love for me that the judgment of men will
not disturb you….” (JOM,
Vol I, #77, Aug. 11, 1989)
“…I speak to My people, not
because of their holiness and worthiness, but because of My Holiness and
Worthiness….I am the Son of God, Your Lord Jesus Christ, fulfilling the
worthiness given to Me from My Father. I am your Lord God, here to save you
through My Holiness….It is through My Blood that I am consecrated
to you and you to Me. The Crucifixion was your redemption….I am here because
it is written, in fulfillment of Scripture, that the Son of Man comes because
of His Holiness, and not because of your worthiness….” (JOM, Vol II, #2, Sept.
20, 1989)
“…Tell My people this
day to be on guard against the evil one, but to know that I am their
Jesus of Truth and Faith….All I have promised them will take
place. They shall gain Heaven because I merited it for them….See Me from
within and live in My Holiness. If you truly trusted Me, you would know Me and
you would know with your heart and with your mind that these Lessons are
from Me, your Jesus, and from Me only, for I am Pure….If man can promise and
speak to man about many things, cannot God speak to His people
and fulfill what is promised?” (JOM, Vol II, #27, Dec. 18, 1989)
“…The pain in My Heart
still exists. Do not My people realize how much I love them to ask My Father’s
permission to be able to speak to them in the form of these Lessons,
so that they can learn and be with Me in glory of everlasting life?...” (JOM, Vol II, #49, Mar.
4, 1990)
“…Tell My people to look
at My message and not to be frightened that these words may not
be from Me….If My people do not wish for Me to teach them, then I will stop. I
will not infringe upon the free will of My people….I shall stop giving them for
a period of time….If I see the desire and change in their hearts, I shall
continue. If I do not, the words of My Divine Holiness shall cease….”
(JOM, Vol
II, #49, Mar. 4, 1990)
“Your
all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne,
into the midst of the land that was doomed,
a stern warrior, carrying
the sharp sword of your authentic command…”
(Wis 18:15-16)
As human beings, we have a tendency to try to
make so many things more difficult in our lives than they need to be. So many
of us struggle with the question and concern as to whether we are following
God’s Will, whether we truly are growing in holiness, or whether we are being
deceived, by our own selves or the evil one. Our Lord reassures us,
however, that it is in the present moment, in the whisper of our
daily duties where we will find Him and His Love:
“…Only My Will can
satisfy you. How to follow My Will is identified in the daily whisper,
as you partake in your activities. Daily self-surrender and inspiration,
through others and yourself, reveal My Will. Every moment is
special. I use channels of Love to reveal the Will of My Father. What I
arrange for you is holy, so accept and seek after My Holiness
with thirst. Look at the actions, the responsibilities, the shadows of the
moment; and there, you will find Me in Love, revealing the Will of God in
Love….” (JOM,
Vol IV, #83, Aug. 18, 1992)
“…Continue to walk in
the perfection of My Holiness, My dear people, as I
continue to teach you the Way in the Holiness of My Father….” (JOM, Vol III, #13,
Sept. 1, 1990)
“Love has been perfected among
us in this:
that we may have boldness on
the day of judgment,
because as He is, so are we
in this world.”
(1Jn 4:17)
The Holiness of Her
Son
I consider that the
sufferings of this present time
are not worth comparing with
the glory about to be revealed to us.”
(Rom 8:18)
It seems so natural for us to either be bogged
down by our pasts or to try to run ahead to the future. However, Our Lady of
Emmitsburg encourages us to slow down and learn from the present
moment, to hope in Jesus beyond all hope, to focus on
Jesus’ Mercy and not dwell on our sinfulness, but to ask for forgiveness
and to forgive ourselves, and to embrace the cross which the
pursuit of holiness provides and demands:
“…Do not look to the
events of tomorrow, but focus on today. Focus on this MOMENT,
and praise God for His wondrous works of Love. Little children, hope in
Jesus beyond all hope. What hope is there in this life for the person
without God….The person who hopes in my Son is receptive of the goodness and
Love which He gives. He will protect you and teach you His Way to holiness….”
(Public OLOE, Sept. 19,
1996)
Because of His Birth,
goodness and holiness fulfilled the law of nature and your lives were joined
with His….Without Him you would not have life and there would not be any HOPE….”
(Public OLOE, Sept. 16,
1999)
“Little ones, do not
dwell on your weakness or sinfulness, but look to Jesus and focus on His
strength and Holiness. Ask Jesus to give you the grace to respond to Him and
to be as present to Him as He is present to you….Ask Him for the strength to
forgive yourself and others. Ask Him for forgiveness….Jesus desires to
give you His Mercy….Utilize this gift….It is important that you love as Jesus
loves, and that you see yourself as Jesus sees you….” (Public OLOE, Mar. 6,
1997)
“…For even my Son, Who
suffered tremendously the worst of persecutions, could say, ‘Forgive them,
Father, for they do not know what they do.” (Lk 23:24) Your souls must be there
for God alone; and no matter what happens within your own lives, ultimately you
must forgive. You must defend the Truth, for Justice must meet
face to face with God’s Mercy where holiness and faith abound in eternal
glory. So you must defend the Truth, but you must forgive also!” (Private OLOE, Feb. 15, 2007)
“…I love you, little
ones, and desire you to grow in the Love and Holiness of my Son. Do not be
hard on yourselves because of your sinfulness. Trust in God’s Mercy. Reform
your ways through purity, chastity, honesty and by loving each other in
charity, and through prayer. God makes the truth of your sinfulness known
because He loves you and desires you to come to Him. But you must have mercy
on yourself and forgive yourself so God can forgive you and make you whole
in His Love….”
“…So few have realized
that in order to become holy, you must suffer like my Son and embrace a
cross; and words of challenge and warning only invite you to look within
and see what needs to be changed and purged. The day will come,
whether in this world or in the next, when you will have to be holy and
purified to see God face to face. But today, as we know it in this country,
very few desire to really change and be purified, to be holy and to be a
light. Very few!
(Public OLOE, April 20, 1995)
“I will scatter you among the
nations and disperse you through the countries,
and I will purge your
filthiness out of you.”
(Ezek 22:15)
Providing the perfect model for all of
her children, Our Lady lived the littleness and humility, with the fiat
to the Will of God without expectations. She gained the notice and
unfathomable graces of God, always faithful in the promise of eternal life in
the glory of His Holiness, a life to which we too are invited:
“Little ones, seek
the Kingdom of God with humility and you
will grow in holiness….The ways of true holiness and purity are littleness
and humility. As you receive grace from the Father, do not seek
attention from others….
“…Only Jesus weighs the
intentions of the heart. You must seek God’s Kingdom without expectations…..Jesus
aids those who desire to seek His Kingdom and live His Holiness. It is
Jesus, then, Who will notice you and continue to grace you with further
virtues….” (Public
OLOE, July 23, 1998)
My Son in His Glory
shall give you glory and His Holiness, His Holiness which is yours to
have, to behold, to live, to breathe and to become….” (Private OLOE, April 24, 2004)
“Do not be conformed to this
world,
but be transformed by the
renewing of your minds,
so that you may discern what
is the Will of God—
what is good and acceptable
and perfect.”
(Rom 12:2)
End of Part 2
The Holiness of
Jesus
(to be continued)
“They shall speak of the
magnificence of the glory of Thy Holiness!”
(Ps 144:5)