Mark 10:49 Take courage; get up, he is calling you.
He’s calling you…
To what is Jesus calling you? To love more actively. To pray more persistently. To praise more enthusiastically. To give more generously. To a deeper and closer relationship with Him. In other words, to holiness. Here are a handful of Bible verses that tell us what God’s call is to us:
- 1 Cor. 1:2 Called to be holy.
- 2 Tim. 1:9 He saved us and called us to a holy life.
- 1 Pet. 1:15 As he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct.
- 1 Thes. 4:7 For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.
Pope Francis, in his apostolic exhortation Gaudete et Exultate, says that holiness is the mission of every Christian. To walk the path of holiness requires prayer and contemplation alongside action. Prayer is talking to, and maybe more important, listening to God. The actions of holiness are the works of mercy we find in Matthew 25: feeding, clothing, housing, educating, and helping those most in need, the least of our brothers and sisters.
Pope Francis goes on to say, “Be holy by living your lives with love…the path to holiness is almost always gradual, made up of small steps in prayer, in sacrifice, and in service to others. Jesus explained with great simplicity what it means to be holy – living simply, and putting God first, trusting in Him and not earthly power or wealth, being humble, mourning and consoling others, being merciful and forgiving, working for justice, and seeking peace with all.” (see footnote 17 in the book INYM)
So take courage. Be stouthearted (Ps. 27:14). Like Bartimaeus, call out to Jesus. Have faith that He knows you, hears you, and loves you. Then, step out in that faith and give and serve.
Photo Credit: Robert Davis
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