In these two verse from the Second Chapter of Joel, we find the word sanctify used twice. This is nothing new. Sanctity is a very serious notion for prophets and disciples of God. In that word, the prophet gives us a sense of awe, an elevated understanding of reverence and of what is holy.
What is sanctity? What is holy? What is consecrated? I often struggle with whole idea of sanctity. The word means “holy; set apart because it is sacred.” Does that mean that we ought to elevate certain things so that we can use it for worship of Christ, or should spend huge amount of resources to make things sacred and purchase fine items for the worshipping of God? Is that what sacredness is all about?
Since becoming a pastor and a more educated theologian, I find that the Old Testament is a great book full of wisdom and stories of God’s relationship with his people. In between the pages of the Old Testament, we see how people worked to make certain acts, things and events sacred in their worship life. Yet, in the New Testament, the idea of sanctity and sanctify is turn completely upside-down.
All of a sudden, like so many other aspects of the Christian faith, sanctity is not about things but more about action. It is about what we, as disciples of Christ, do for each other that makes sanctification happens. It is in our everyday life, in our everyday relationship with one another, that reveals the sanctity of our Lord. It is in our speech, in our tender touch with our neighbors or loved ones or in our generosity of our resources that sanctifies.
For us Christians, sanctification is not about our Sunday morning worship and the rituals around it necessarily, but about a life spent in service of others. It is about being willing to die for our neighbors or walking with someone for a mile when they need us. Sanctification are the acts of selfless love and being a humble vessel of Christ’s mercies and steadfast love.
Let this season of Lent be a time when all of us can rediscover the sanctity of Christ through our willingness to be His vessel so that mercy and steadfast love can pour onto those we encounter daily.
Prayer: Lord, sanctify me and use me for purpose of reveal to the world we live in the acts of love and mercy. Give us grace, courage and strength to act according to your will and your ways. Amen.
