Holiness

In its Constitution on the Church, the Second Vatican Council made these points on holiness:

• Jesus preached holiness of life to each and every one of his disciples,
• every single member of the Church is called to be holy,
• Jesus Christ is the author and maker of holiness, so that whatever holiness there is in the Church comes from Jesus Christ,
• there is only one holiness in the Church, although it may take many different forms,
• we become holy by receiving with faith what the Father gives us and by cooperating with God's will,
• our holiness is manifested in the fruits of grace which the Spirit produces in us,
• our holiness has the result of fostering a more human way of life in earthly society,
• a major obstacle to holiness is "an adherence to riches which is contrary to the spirit of evangelical poverty."