Failure and Christianity

Those outside the Church (especially the media) are constantly discussing the failures of individual members of the Church. Usually this is taken to indicate the entire Church has problems, rather than that one individual has problems. But I contend that failure is an important part of Christianity.

Why? Ultimately our salvation lies in the struggle to do good and to be good. We are called to perfection, which is a difficult calling only attainable through the workings of the Holy Spirit. But, our calling also requires humility, the virtue grown and nourished by failure. And failure teaches us another key lesson: how to get up and start again. Christ illustrated this persistence beautifully when he fell three times carrying the cross and yet rose again each time. We must do the same, rising in hope even after our failures.

As we grow in the Holy Spirit, big failures become small ones and yet, they are still failures. The “Church full of hypocrites” I heard the other day and thought, “And God wants even more hypocrites”. Hypocrites who strive for holiness and despite these failings continue in hope and humility. May God bless us all with enough failure to keep us humble and enough success to ensure our sainthood!

Jay