Christianity can be understood as the dynamics of holiness and piety. Christianity does not mean membership in a religious system or institution. Christianity is the dynamic state of experiencing and remembering holiness in the dimensions of life, spirit and love. The word “holy” symbolizes the state of encountering the mysterious Being in life’s events, or absolute Being and power, or ultimate truth and beauty. We meet this holiness in Jesus and confess this holiness is God in Jesus. The deep dimension within human beings has the ability to feel, experience and recognize the holy Being—absolute Being and power, or ultimate truth and beauty, or mysterious amazement. Those in whom this sensibility grows and develops can have deep spirituality. We grow through understanding, recognizing and accepting Jesus. For this, we call our faith Christianity.
Those who feel and experience the holy Being—absolute Being and power, or ultimate truth and beauty, or mysterious amazement in Jesus—have a pious attitude. We call this attitude of life “piety.” In Christianity, this attitude can be understood as the virtues of Christian spirituality. I can show Jesus’s great example of this virtue, his teaching of “the beatitudes” in Matthew 5:3-10: the poor and thirsty heart-mind (5:3, 6) as the state of loving the Lord; the mournful and merciful heart-mind (4, 7) as the state of loving others; the meek and the pure heart-mind (5, 8) as the state of loving oneself; and the heart-mind of working for peace and justice (9, 10) as the state of loving community. Apostle Paul also shows this attitude: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
The season of holiness and piety is coming. We start “Lent 2024” with an Ash Wednesday Service on February 14, 2024. I name this season “the season of holiness and piety.” This season offers the process to express our piety based on our holy experiences. This is a holy season that the church offers to this world. Christians reveal our piety so that this world can see the holy Being. Let us express our piety so that worldly people can know holiness and Christian piety.
– Rev. Yong Sub Sim
