Sources of Sanctification

God calls us to be holy, as when He said, through His Son Jesus Christ--"Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect....He causes His sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and His rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike" (Mt. 5:44-48). Yes, God calls us to be saints, definitely. But where is the fountain of living waters where we can drink freely? Jesus had said this, without doubt, --"Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Mt. 4:4). The Bishops of the world had gathered in a synod for 2 times and the theme was precisely on the Word of God.

It is clear, though, that Jesus is the Word made flesh as the Bible itself attests in Jn. 1:14. And He Himself had clearly said--"Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you will not have life in you" (Jn. 6:53). "I am the living bread which has come down from heaven" (Jn. 6:51). "Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever" (Jn. 6:58). If we go through the Church's history, there are saints by the thousands, even if you just check on the popular ones or books on the lives of saints. It's true too that God confirms the veracity or sanctity of the believers by accompanying proofs of God's power as Jesus promised: "These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover" (Mk. 16:17018). But let's not forget they were loyal servants of the Church and received the Sacraments of the same Roman Catholic Church. Naturally they admit and believe what that popular Jesuit tagalog song entones: "Ikaw, Jesus, ang tinapay ng buhay, binasbasan, hanati't inialay (translate: Jesus, you are the bread of life, blessed, broken and offered) -- composed by G. Atienza - S. Borres, Jr., SJ and M. Francisco, SJ. The sacramental life in the Eucharist and the other sacraments reaches its perfection when the individual lives his or her life, by being faithful to God's will, in all things, great or small. God's infallible word tells us: "He who is faithful in little things will also be faithful in greater things" (Lk. 16:10).