Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop
I work at staying healthy – physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally – I hope you do, too. Some days it’s easy to follow the necessary disciplines, other days it’s a challenge. I’ve had to get creative with my physical workouts, as I’ve not felt comfortable returning to the gym during the pandemic. I think we’ve all struggled, each in our own way, to be attentive to our holistic health during the current crisis. It’s not easy to restructure our lives so as to be attentive to our health in all its different domains. And not just our health! Work, school, staying connected with family and friends, all the different areas of our lives have had to be reshaped. How many times have we said, when facing a daily challenge, we just need to “work it out!” In our first reading, St Paul tells us, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. He goes on to imply that as we do this spiritual work, we will shine like lights in the world. Today, let us consider what it means to work out our salvation, and let us ask God for the graces we need to shine Christ’s light in our world.
Salvation is God’s free and unmerited gift. We do not perform any work in order to earn salvation; it is God’s gracious gift to us in Christ. Having been saved, we don’t just sit back and rest on our laurels. Discipleship is not a passive experience. The life of a disciple of Jesus is an active life. We work out our salvation day by day, moment by moment, as we seek to think like Jesus, talk like Jesus, and act like Jesus. Growth in holiness is not always easy, but every day is a new day to begin again; every day presents an opportunity for conversion. We have to work it out! If I discipline myself to follow my physical workouts, and persevere in them, over time I will see tangible results – I’ll feel better, I’ll become stronger, I’ll have greater endurance. The same is true in our spiritual lives. Spiritual maturity doesn’t just happen; we have to work it out. I read recently that struggle is a necessary component of learning and growth. For example, if we rush in too quickly to help our children solve a homework problem, we rob them of the opportunity to deepen their learning by having to work it out. Work out your salvation, says St Paul – I think he knew full well that’s not an easy proposition, but one that is necessary if we are to bear fruit and make a difference in the Kingdom of God.
When we are disciplined about our physical workouts, we will achieve noticeable results. Our doctors may see improvements in our bloodwork, vital signs, or other indicators. We may be visibly stronger or more toned. Similarly, when we are disciplined to work out our salvation, others will see the difference in us; they’ll see the evidence of our growth. Paul says we become, blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world . . . Oh, how this generation needs to see Christ’s disciples shining like lights! Wherever we encounter darkness, let us shine brightly that others might have hope and be drawn to the love of God.
The good news is that we aren’t left to work out our salvation on our own. Paul assures us, God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work. Praise the Lord, I don’t have to rely on my own feeble efforts and meager abilities! Today, let us invite the Holy Spirit to come and fill us with God’s love, light, and power. God knows what we need. Let’s ask God for the graces unique to this day so that we might be empowered to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, and then to shine the light of Christ more brightly for all to see. Thank you, Father, for the gift of salvation in your Son, and for sending us your Spirit so that we are able to work it out!
Elizabeth Wourms