Seven steps to holiness

“A whole batch of dough is made holy if the first handful of dough is made holy” (Rom 11: 16).

In 2015, I wrote an article on Christ being our daily bread, based on the book Fresh Bread and Other Gifts of Spiritual Nourishment by Sister Joyce Rupp. Inspired again by this book, I wish to share more of Sister Joyce’s wise words on how to be a vessel of holiness in this world.

In my 2015 article, I explained how Sister Joyce showed the members of her prayer group a single packet of yeast. She then announced, “You are like this little package of yeast. You have so much potential … you can become a handful of dough made holy … You are meant to be the leaven of faith for others.”

Anyone who has worked with yeast can recall how quickly a tiny pellet of yeast transforms into a bubbling froth, when nourished by the right amount of sugar and adequately warm water. Anyone who has made bread can also attest to the necessity of punching down the risen dough and later kneading it, repeatedly, to improve the bread’s overall quality.

In light of these realities, I find yeast the perfect image to explain how one tiny person can be holy and spread holiness. Building on the sweetness and warmth God has lovingly place within each of us, and facing deflating challenges of life with grace and trust, we have the potential to bring faith to the world.

In her book, Sister Joyce encourages us to embrace our potential to be holy. Being a “handful of dough made holy” means seven things to her. I love the simplicity in each of these ways to holiness. I know that I have done some of them, unaware of their significance, and others I need to work on more whole-heartedly.

First, Sister Joyce states that we must meet and know God. To achieve this, we must “[walk] through our very ordinary days … with a heart that is open to surprises and wonders in the simple beauty of people and events.” I feel that a simple “Praise God” prayer every time we receive a smile or notice a sunset, every time an accident is averted, or every time we look beneath the surface of a tragedy to find the silver lining, is a step on the road to being holy.

Her second suggestion is giving oneself to the process of reflection. This “is developed by … using regular spaces in the day to deliberately pause to think about what is before us.” I find getting up half an hour earlier than usual gives me time for prayer and reflection, which ultimately set the tone for my day.

Thirdly, we must trust enough to be a servant of the Lord. This “means that we are ready and willing to be ‘kneaded,’ to be open to the struggle and the pain that may come … This trusting is lifelong.” Struggle is not pleasant, but in struggle we feel God’s kneading hand in those who assist us; we see his purpose as we emerge re-shaped by our experiences.

Fourthly, we need to feed our hunger for God. Sister Joyce states that “nourishment of our spirit takes time and discipline ... The food that we place in our minds and hearts greatly affects the decisions and the choices of our days.” I strive to see the good in others and to focus on what is, rather than on what is not.

Next, we need to give of ourselves to others with quality presence. “Quality presence means we have a heart of love and a desire to care for others.” When we focus on others, we realize that sometimes the greatest accomplishment of a single day is simply being there for someone who needs us.

We must want to be a saint. “Holiness is facing the pain of the world … Holiness is stopping to gasp in amazement at how love stirs in the joy and beauty of ordinary events … Holiness is choosing to keep on struggling and believing that there is such a thing as eternal life … It is knowing God as a companion on the journey of life.”

Finally, we must believe in our potential to be handfuls of dough. Christ came to model holiness in human form. During Holy Week, and always, may we recognize our potential to follow him, through these seven simple – holy – actions.