So be perfect just as your Heavenly Father is perfect

3/15/25

In a homily, our priest began with this verse, “So be perfect just as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 He said, “How can we be perfect? Isn’t that impossible? No, it is possible because we are made in the image and likeness of God.” How is it possible to be perfect? Through the Sacraments, Prayer and the Virtues of Our Lady.

The Sacraments keep us close to God which helps us become more like Him. The Sacraments are outer signs of an inner grace. It is the visible, physical, and even material form of an invisible reality. In Baptism, the form is water, but the inner reality is cleansing from the stain of original sin. In the Eucharist, the form is bread and wine, but the invisible reality is Christ’s Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity entering into our souls.

The Catholic Church has seven sacraments which are in three basic groupings: Sacraments of Christian Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation), Sacraments of Healing (Penance and Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick) and Sacraments of Service (Matrimony, Holy Orders). When we lead a Sacramental Life, we lead a life of grace.

When we are filled with the grace of the Sacraments, we become more perfect like God.

Our priest spoke of Prayer as a dialogue, an intimate conversation with God. He said this kind of prayer is Contemplation which is a way to ponder God and speak with Him like a close friend. In order to do this, we have to place ourselves in His Presence and in silence. How can we practice this kind of prayer? Trust in God’s Presence even if you do not feel Him. Dedicate time each day for silence with God, Meditate on His Word and make a daily Examination of Conscience. Persevere in Prayer, even if you do not receive answers. Continual prayer strengthens your relationship with God and helps you do His Will.

When our day is immersed in Prayer, we become more perfect like God.

Lastly, our priest spoke of the Virtues of Our Lady. In his classic work True Devotion to the Mary, St. Louis de Montfort lists the “ten principal virtues of the most Holy Virgin Mary.” They are: Profound humility, Lively faith, Blind obedience, Continual prayer, Universal mortification, Divine purity, Ardent charity, Heroic patience, Angelic sweetness, Divine wisdom. These virtues may seem overwhelming at first, but there are simple ways to practice them in everyday life with the help of God’s grace. The key to any kind of lasting growth is to start small. Pick one of Mary’s ten virtues each week, month, or year, and practice it in everyday situations.

When we imitate Our Lady’s Virtues, we grow in her virtues and become more perfect like God.

You can be perfect, just as Your Heavenly Father is perfect through the Sacraments, Prayer and Contemplation and imitating the Virtues of our Blessed Mother Mary. Ask Mary to help you practice these three ways to become perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect…