Essentials of Christian Perfection
Through the supreme goodness of God, I know that perfection consists in carrying out [one’s duties of daily life] exactly and with the right intention. (OOCC, X, p. 111; STA, 170)
According to St. Vincent Pallotti, Christian perfection consists of carrying out the duties of a person’s daily life exactly and with the right intention. First, Christian perfection is to be lived not outside the context of a person’s life, but rather it must be lived within the daily events of his life. Hence, a person whether he is a priest, a religious or a layperson, becomes holy in relation to the duties he is called to perform in the context of his state of life. Second, in order to become holy, he must do his duties exactly. The term “exactly” refers to the manner in which the duties must be performed. It implies that a person performs the action in the most proper way, as per the directives of scripture, teachings of the Church and the Law of the religious institute to which a person belongs. It also means that a person makes the right effort to accomplish the action. Third, a person must perform the duties of his life with the right intention. It means that the motive that moves the person to perform the action must be good and pure. Thus, the intention should not be evil, half-hearted, indifferent, or selfish, but rather it should be God-centered and other-centered. For St. Vincent, a person should fulfill these essential conditions in order to achieve Christian perfection.
Do I believe that Christian perfection is achieved in the context of the duties of my state of life? Do I perform the duties of my life with right and proper effort? Do I have the right intention in doing the duties of my life? Am I God-centered and other-centered in my actions?
Since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same intention … so as to live for the rest of your earthly life no longer by human desires but by the will of God. (I Pet. 4:1 – 2)