Christian
faith leads to the reformation of one's own life, demanding from us a
continuous rectification of our conduct, an improvement in our way of
being and acting. Among other consequences, faith will lead us to
imitate Jesus Christ, who was "perfect God and perfect man", to be men
and women of temperament, without complexes, without human respects,
truthful, honest, just in judgments, in their business, in
conversation.... The human virtues are those proper to man as man, and
that is why Jesus Christ, perfect man, lived them to the full. Even his
own enemies were amazed at the human vigor of his figure: 'Master,' they
said to him on one occasion, 'we know that you are truthful, and that
you have no human respect, and that you teach the way of God with
authority. .... "The first thing that strikes one in studying the human
physiognomy of Jesus is his virile clear-sightedness in action, his
impressive loyalty, his rugged sincerity, in a word, the heroic
character of his personality. This was, in the first place, what
attracted his disciples". He gave us an example of a series of
intertwined human qualities, which it is incumbent upon any Christian to
live.
He
considered the perfection of human virtues so important that he urged
his disciples: "If you do not understand earthly things, how will you
understand heavenly things? If one does not live the human reciprocity
before a difficulty, before the cold or the heat, before a small
illness, where can one establish the cardinal virtue of fortitude? How
can a person be strong who complains continually? How can a student who
neglects his studies become responsible and prudent? Or how can a person
who neglects cordiality, affability or politeness live charity?
Although God's grace can completely transform a person-and we find
examples in Sacred Scripture and in the life of the Church-it is normal
for the Lord to count on the collaboration of human virtues.
The
Christian life expresses itself through human action, which it
dignifies and elevates to the supernatural plane. On the other hand, the
human sustains and makes possible the supernatural virtues. Perhaps, in
the course of our lives, we have met "so many who call themselves
Christians -because they have been baptized and receive other
Sacraments-, but who are disloyal, liars, insincere, arrogant? And they
fall all at once. They look like stars that shine for a moment in the
sky and, suddenly, they fall irremissibly". Their human foundations
failed them and they could not stand. The exercise of faith, hope,
charity and moral virtues will lead the Christian to be that living
example that the world is waiting for. God is looking for strong mothers
who bear witness through their motherhood and their joy, who know how
to befriend their children; and just businessmen; and doctors who do not
neglect their professional training because they know how to take a few
hours for study, who care for the sick with understanding, as he would
like to be treated in those same circumstances: with efficiency and
kindness; and students with prestige and who care for their fellow
students, and farmers, artisans, factory workers and construction
workers.... God wants men and women of integrity, who express in the
small reality of their lives the great ideal they have found.
In
St. Joseph we find a splendid model of a just man, vir iustus, who
lived by faith in all the circumstances of his life. Let us ask him that
we may know how to be what Christ expects of each one of us in our own
environment and circumstances.