Holiness

While reading The Heart of Motherhood by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle I came upon the following passage which struck me:

Saintliness is not pretentious or showy. It is not fanaticism or the practice of some bizarre religious belief. Holiness is actually very natural. It comes from God and requires only a desiring heart and soul. The effects of it radiate outward to others. We are all created to be holy. All of the graces to become holy are available for the asking. Each one of us in our own state of life is called to be holy.

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta constantly professed that holiness is not reserved for a few, but is a duty for everyone. Holiness is really living our lives to the fullest potential within God's will. It is striving to reach our eternal destiny while living in God's providence. It is surrendering our wills to God and praying for the grace to fulfill our duties faithfully.

We are not perfect creatures. We fall many times, even throughout the course of one day. But the difference between a person striving for holiness and one who is indifferent to God's promptings in her soul is that the former will pick herself up, examine her conscience, ask forgiveness for her shortcomings, and strive to improve with prayer.

~from Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle's The Heart of Motherhood, p.112