In Leviticus 11:44 we have the invitation to Holiness. "For I the Lord, am your God; and you shall make and keep yourselves holy because I am holy." Christians are called to lead a life of holiness, not only privately but that reaches out and serves the world.
The priest in the Light of the World column of the Catholic Times reminds the readers that Holiness is the original purpose of religion. He asks the readers what do they think is an important theme of the Bible? It is God's mercy and salvation and the response is holiness.
Holiness is the way of life that God has given us: to love God, our neighbor, observe the teachings of the Lord, live a moral life, and follow our consciences, both personally and communally. Holiness is the attitude of believers and the church community and a way to protect us in the world and change the world for the better.
Holiness is the foundation that supports the Catholic theories of a great society, and even in our social doctrine holiness is the beginning and the end. The social doctrine flows from the divine love of God and his wisdom.
"Only love can completely transform the human person. Such a transformation does not mean eliminating the earthly dimension in a disembodied spirituality. Those who think they can live the supernatural virtue of love without taking into account its corresponding natural foundations, which include duties of justice, deceive themselves. Charity is the greatest social commandment. It respects others and their rights. It requires the practice of justice and it alone makes us capable of it" (Social Compendium #583).
Holiness, the goal of religion, bears the fruit of human dignity, love of neighbor, reconciliation, and forgiveness in the world. Its fruit can be called the common good. The political community is also directed to the common good. Politics and religion pursue a common purpose from different perspectives. However, many people express their discomfort with politics and religion. Some religions harm many people for their own specific interests, and politics can also pursue its own vested interests, ignoring the common good.
In short, both religion and politics can be pursued for their own benefits, losing their true nature. Politics, which is inseparable from our lives, requires purification and self-reflection, but we also need to reflect on whether religion pursues its own selfish purpose.
" Politics too must make room for a tender love of others. What is tenderness? It is love that draws near and becomes real. A movement that starts from our heart and reaches the eyes, the ears, and the hands… Tenderness is the path of choice for the strongest, most courageous men and women. Amid the daily concerns of political life, the smallest, the weakest, the poorest should touch our hearts: indeed, they have a ‘right’ to appeal to our heart and soul. They are our brothers and sisters, and as such we must love and care for them" (#194 Fratelli Tutti).
In fact, the political community and the Church are autonomous and independent of each other in their own fields, and both are, even if under different titles, 'devoted to the service of the personal and social vocation of the same human beings' Indeed, it can be affirmed that the distinction between religion and politics and the principle of religious freedom constitutes a specific achievement of Christianity and one of its fundamental historical and cultural contributions (Social Doctrine # 50).
