Very often, holiness or sanctity is misunderstood. People think it is something for Christian “professionals” or really “holy people”.

The other extreme is that some people think that going to Mass on Sunday or saying prayers during the day is what following Jesus is all about. Everyday holiness means that our  lives – our real lives –  are the arena where holiness takes place.

Holiness means doing everything – from the simplest to the most complicated and important human tasks and experiences – in a close union with God.

Holiness does not mean doing something sensational. It means doing ordinary things in an extraordinary way (even washing the dishes). How do we do things in an extraordinary way? We fill them with all the love of which we are capable.

The biggest obstacle for everyday sanctity today is the absence of God in just about every area of human life and development. God is absent in the public sphere, but for many people he is also absent from homes and personal lives. For some people, God plays no significant part in their lives. Their moral choices, their way of life, what motivates or inspires them has very often nothing to do with God. Faith and life are separate.