"You must be perfect - just as your Father in Heaven is perfect," (Mt. 5:48). From here we can see that the Christian call is indeed the highest calling. It is a call for true athletes who will finish the race no matter what, or mountain climbers who make it to the summit despite the many toils and hazards along the way or like the author Henri Nouwen said, "Those who dare to drink their cup slowly, tasting every mouthful - all the way to the bottom! . . . drinking their cup until it is empty which God will fill with everlasting life." Yes, a Christian life is certainly not meant to be lived at the level of timidity or mediocrity or apathy, not even seeming goodness! It is meant to be a life of courage and authenticity, integrity and most of all, a life of out-pouring love given until it hurts.

Lord, we know and we have heard the call but how do we live it in reality? We can learn from the people of the early Macedonian churches. "First they gave themselves to the Lord; and then by God's will they gave themselves to us as well," (Cor. 8:5) and we remember the other gospel text, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God . . ." We have always to remember the source without whom we are nothing and can do nothing.