Sanctity vs. sanctimony

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

THAT series of “Woe-to-you’s” that Christ addressed to some of the leading Jews of his time (cfr. 23,27-32) should remind us that we have to learn the art of passing unnoticed while doing a lot of good. That way of acting can only mean that we are sincere in our pursuit for holiness and that our intentions are pure, not corrupted by some ulterior motives.

In all our thoughts, words and actuations, we should see to it that we feed our faith, that we are led to God, that in the end we manage to live true charity that includes all the other virtues.

We should do our best to avoid getting hijacked in the purely material or practical aspects of our life. We should imitate Christ in his discretion and restraint, in his art of passing unnoticed, in his effort to avoid grabbing unnecessary and dangerous attention from others, by seeing to it that our thoughts, words and deeds truly lead others to God, and not simply to us.

At best, we should simply be conductors to bring others to Christ. We should avoid making ourselves something like idols, objects of interest. The ideal situation would be that all who see and hear us should see and hear Christ, as he himself said it clearly to his apostles. Remember him telling his apostles, “He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.” (Lk 10,16)

We have to learn to pass unnoticed while doing things that would lead others to Christ! That’s how genuine sanctity is, and not just any form of apparent and fake holiness that is proliferating in the world today. It may require heroism, but it is highly practicable, with God’s grace. It need not be lived and achieved in some extraordinary situations. It can be attained even in the very ordinary things of our daily life, but pursued in utmost heroism in following God’s will and ways.

In other words, it does not flaunt its performance and achievements. In fact, it likes to pass unnoticed. It’s never showy, although something in it will always attract the attention of those who have faith. Of course, it may turn off those who are hostile to the faith.

This is the sanctity that comes from Christ who, in spite of the many wonderful miracles he made, tried his best not to show off because of them. Rather, he preferred that people get attracted to him when he would already be on the cross, as testified by his words: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (Jn 12,32)

Genuine sanctity can never sit well with complacency, laziness, self-satisfaction, the attitude that we can say enough in our self-giving and the like. It will always demand more and more from us, and we correspond to that demand with utmost freedom and love, never feeling pressured or coerced to do so.

It is something done, developed and lived gratuitously, reflecting the very gratuitousness of the love of God for us. The dedication and devotion involved in sanctity is freely given, with no strings attached, even if we know that God will richly reward such self-giving.

Sanctimony is the opposite. It likes to show off its good works. It’s driven by self-righteousness, not the righteousness that comes from God!

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com