Bishop Tobin on Holiness - God's Work and Our Response

"May the God of peace make you perfectly holy, and may you entirely, spirit, soul and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord  Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it. (I Thes 5: 23-24)

"These words of St. Paul contain an important insight into the spiritual life, namely that holiness is God's work, not ours. God 'makes us' holy, he 'has called us,' and he 'will accomplish' this good work, St. Paul emphasizes. Note, all the actions begin with God."

In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on how, although we sometimes think that holiness is something we can achieve on our own if we work hard enough, it actually comes through God's grace He also reflected on how it is up to us to "recognize, receive and cooperate with God's grace; to be open and responsive to the Holy Spirit working in our lives."

To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:

The Imitation of Christ: Holiness Is God's Work, Not Ours (6 FEB 20)