“So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:38

Perfection. It may be difficult to understand how this idea can play into our own sinful, stained lives. We are blinded by our sin as we attempt to live as God wants us only to find ourselves stumbling and falling time and time again. We learn as educators that it may be detrimental to set expectations too high for learners to reach, yet, God expects us to achieve perfection knowing that we will never achieve it on this earth?

As stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “In order to reach this perfection the faithful should use the strength dealt out to them by Christ's gift, so that . . . doing the will of the Father in everything, they may wholeheartedly devote themselves to the glory of God and to the service of their neighbor. Thus the holiness of the People of God will grow in fruitful abundance, as is clearly shown in the history of the Church through the lives of so many saints” (CCC 2013). We must strive to be like God in order to grow in devotion and holiness which paves the way to ultimate perfection and unity with our Lord.

Just as a young child may imitate Michael Jordan or Brett Favre in their practices in order to become the best player possible, so must we emulate the one who is perfect in all – Jesus Christ Himself. We follow the best and attempt to be like Him in all aspects of our life.

Only in this way may we achieve heaven. The time for holiness is now in order for spiritual perfection to permeate our very being. In everything, we must give all glory to the Lord and offer our very lives to Him in pursuit of perfection. As Gregory of Nyssa states, “Christian perfection has but one limit, that of having none."