Sanctificatio | Be Sanctified

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality.” – 1Thessalonians 4: 3

Do we fulfill every promise of love for ourselves, others, and God? No love relationship is always smooth and sincere. There are always challenges and obstacles that would cause us experiencing or causing conflicts. We often come to a point where our loyalty and love are tested: do we remain faithful amidst challenges and trials that come and go? Do we accept challenges in love stories as a commonplace in a relationship or do we choose to turn away and end the relationship? It all depends on us, how to reflect and see all the possibilities and aspects of all events that come our way. Paul in his counsel to the Thessalonians emphasized the sanctification of the body in an honorable way by avoiding sexual immorality.

Now days, it is very difficult to keep true to a marriage vow or an eternal promise. There are too many temptations and trials that test our faith. Everyone has their own meaning in responding to every challenge that comes. Whether the test is a disaster that destroys our relationship or one that ripens our relationship with the people we love. Is it a test that destroys our relationship or a test that completes our pledge of allegiance to our vocation of religious life? 

It is not easy to survive when challenges come our way. Sometimes we realize that as weak human beings, we are fragile, weak, and like to give up easily. In my personal reflection, I find that I give up when I don't put my hopes in God, or when I demand the answers to my prayers to be quick. Sometimes we leave God because we feel that being faithful is too difficult; also because our prayers have not been answered. We waited too long.

Indeed, loyalty to guard every choice we make and defend it is not an easy matter. Everything is a process and a test for all of us whether we keep our marriage vows or eternal promises to live happily. We must always reflect that there is no choice without challenges! All choices always have consequences. In the end, every choice to keep a sacred promise is a very noble thing! When we become stronger in maintaining our relationships with other people and especially with God, we will always smile at the end of every struggle in our life.

At the end of my reflection, I ask for prayers from all of us for all victims of natural disasters in East Nusa Tenggara. Even though material help is difficult to distribute because we are far apart, let us help with our prayers. May God grant strength and health to those who are still alive, those who involve in this disaster and an eternal rest for those who have died. This is an act of our love and loyalty to our fellow humans and the glory of God's name.

Reflection on 1Thessalonians 4:1-11 by Sandre Loreng, SVD

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