Gaudium et Spes is one of the documents that came forth from Vatican II and is an overview of the Church's teaching about humanity's relationship to society. A few months ago, my boyfriend, Paul, introduced me to one of the paragraphs in this document; and his decision to do so has made me simultaneously appreciate him AND wish that he weren't so virtuous. Gaudium et Spes Paragraph 30 states that, in our world, "the obligations of justice and love are fulfilled only if EACH person, contributing to the common good...promotes and assists the public and private institutions dedicated to bettering the conditions of human life", which includes (deep breath) following, "laws establishing speed limits". Or simply, as people committed to justice and love, the common good, and a life of virtue, we are called to follow the speed limit.
The truth is I love speeding. Though I've only been pulled over on one occasion for speeding (ask me about this story later), I should have been ticketed countless times for my hasty driving. So when Paul showed me this and encouraged me to give this act of virtue a try, I was less than excited. Or to be completely honest, I was deeply resistant. I made excuses like "it's okay to speed if I'm trying to get to Mass" or "this whole Gaudium et Spes thing is overly scrupulous". Speeding felt strangely like a drug I didn't want to give up. It was a commitment to virtue that seemed unnecessary and insignificant.
But the Lord has worked so beautifully in this decision. He has revealed to me the value of virtue and it's scarcity in this world. On one particular day, I was driving back from Cincinnati on I-71, a highway I have traveled countless times and on which I have NEVER gone the speed limit. But this day I did. As the sun set after a beautiful day, I watched car after car fly by me. Driving in the right lane, I cruised at 65mph in a world of cars going 70, 75, 80. And I realized that THIS is the reality of Christians in this world. When we make the choice to follow Jesus, to desire the Good in all situations, we look different. In fact, if we DON'T look different, I'd venture to say that we aren't really followers of Christ.
In Luke 12, Jesus says that he has not come to establish peace, but division--meaning, he has come to make us a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a HOLY nation (1 Peter 2:9). The word holy comes from the word meaning "to be set apart". We, as people who say we love Jesus, should be different than those who do not yet know him. As the presence of one flicker of light causes a division in darkness, so we should "shine like lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation" (Philippians 2:15) by our pursuit of holiness and lives of virtue.
But this requires of us to realize that virtue cannot just be practiced within the walls of our Churches. Virtue cannot just be something that we read about in the lives of the Saints. A life of virtue must be one that we seek, even in the smallest decisions and quickest moments of our day. In the Catechism, paragraph 1803, virtue is defined as "a habitual and firm disposition to do the good." The Lord is asking us to be people who seek the good, seek HIM, in all circumstances-- whether convenient or inconvenient, whether small or big acts. And he is asking us to practice virtue regardless of whether or not others are doing so, for the benefit of the world.
All this to say, it is virtue that will set us apart. In a world full of skepticism and despair, our being infused with the virtues of faith and hope will cause others to wonder. In a world of extravagance and poor decision-making, temperance and prudence will make us stand out. In a world of selfishness and fear, justice and fortitude will shine brightly. But mostly, in a world of loneliness, brokenness, and sin, it is our LOVE that will make us stand out the most. And this LOVE will lead others to Jesus Christ, Love Incarnate, who promises that "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness [will] not overcome it" (John 1:5)
This week, may we look critically at our lives and ask ourselves: does our faith set us apart from others? Has following Jesus Christ really made us different than the rest of the world? Where might we need to grow in virtue so as to have fellowship with him (1 John 1:6-7). May we all ask these questions with the desire to be more virtuous, to be HOLY, not out of pride or a desire to look better than others, but out of the deep longing for all people to see the BEAUTY of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Come, Lord Jesus, make us "perfect as [our] heavenly Father is perfect."
Enjoy going the speed limit. : )
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