Holy Zeal

The love of Christ arouses us, urges us to run, and to fly, lifted on the wings of holy zeal. The man who truly loves God also loves his neighbor.--St. Anthony Mary Claret, bishop (19th century Bishop of Cuba)

 

Holy zeal is much different than other forms of zealous action. The terrorist who flew planes into the towers were zealous, mislead, but zealous. Holy zeal is love for Jesus Christ and for every person we come in contact with. Holy zeal wills the good of other as other. The holy zealous person is the one who "burns with the fire of divine love." "He labors strenuously; he welcomes hardships; he laughs off false accusations; he rejoices in anguish. He thinks only of how he might follow Jesus Christ and imitate Him.."-- St. Anthony  We must ask God for this zeal and be ready to receive it, knowing that our lives will not be the same. Love has a way of teaching us detachment from the things that stand in the way of this love. We find a simpler way of seeing the world and living in it. We ache with the reality of our own sin, and we do not rest when we see others being mislead or detoured from knowing the truth and the love of God in Christ Jesus. Our concern is for our neighbor's current well being and their eternal salvation. As St. Anthony also said, "Such are the concerns we observe in the holy apostles and in all who are driven by the apostolic spirit."

 

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St. Anthony Mary Claret