Pastor's Reflection - November 23, 2025

The True Face of Holiness: Grace Purifying Our Human Nature

In our pursuit of a perfect world, we sometimes cling to an ideal of holiness free from sin and fault. We envision holiness as untouchable, pure, and unblemished. This view can lead to harsh judgments and rejection of people. Yet, Scripture and the life of Christ reveal a different truth: true holiness is not about separation, but union; not about judgment, but love that seeks to redeem. St. Augustine taught that grace builds upon nature, meaning that divine grace does not overthrow or destroy human nature but rather perfects and elevates it.

Jesus ’holiness was upsetting to His contemporaries because it did not condemn, but forgave and mingled with sinners. He drew close to those trapped in sin, bearing their burdens and sharing in their plight and drawing so close that He took on their sin Himself. “He was made to be sin” (2 Cor 5:21), showing us that real holiness is found in love that goes to the margins, that touches the dirt of the world to bring God’s mercy.

The Church, too, reflects this “unholy holiness.” It is not a pristine, untouchable institution, but a community that bears with one another in patience and love. The holiness of the Church is rooted in her tendency to forgive, to bear one another’s faults, and to offer grace even when her members stumble and fall. This is the true face of divine holiness: love that endures, a love that bears the weight of our brokenness.

It is in this humility that we find solace. To be truly holy is to recognize our own weakness and to accept the brokenness of others, knowing that only through mercy and forgiveness can we be lifted up. Our imperfections remind us of our need for grace.

Criticisms of the Church often reveal a pride that forgets her true purpose: not to be a pristine organization, but a community of sinners redeemed by love. It is in the faithful who receive her gifts in Word and Sacrament and strive for spiritual excellence that her true beauty is truly revealed.

Let us remember: only when we embrace our own frailty and extend patience toward others can we participate in the holiness of Christ. This holiness transforms dirt into beauty, weakness into strength, and despair into hope. Through His grace we are all called to be part of this ongoing journey of redemption.

In Christ,

Fr. James Northrop, Pastor