The ‘only human’ excuse: we’re called to perfection

In the second century, St. Irenaeus taught that “the Son of God became the Son of man, so that man … might become a son of God.” He also said: “…The glory of God is a human person fully alive.”

…The Second Vatican Council describes Jesus as “the perfect man who has restored in the children of Adam that likeness to God which had been disfigured ever since the first sin” (Gaudium et Spes, 22). Jesus raised our human nature “to a dignity beyond compare” — as sons and daughters of God. St. Cyprian, in the third century, reminded Christians that “when we call God ‘our Father,’ we ought to behave as sons of God.” To be fully human, then, is to imitate Christ and His perfection.

God created us in His own image and likeness, but we lost His likeness through original sin. It is only through Christ’s sacrifice and God’s grace that we can regain that likeness, but we must cooperate with grace — behaving as sons and daughters of God. “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48). Christian perfection is holiness, the “universal call” of the baptized articulated at Vatican II. We will only achieve perfection in heaven, but our lifelong spiritual battle is to continually progress along the path to that eternal destiny.

Often this call to perfection is dismissed. Christ can’t possibly mean what He said. How can we expect to be perfect? We’re only human. “To err is human,” said Alexander Pope. Or, as Billy Joel sang, “You’re only human, you’re supposed to make mistakes.”

Our fallen human nature leaves us vulnerable to temptation. We are all sinners, to greater or lesser degrees. Yet sin does not define our humanity. God gave us an intellect and a rational will not so we can do as we please and sin, but so we might freely choose to please Him.

Sin darkens the intellect and clouds our judgment. As some writers put it, “Sin makes you stupid.” We become less rational, and begin rationalizing. We deceive ourselves that our sinful choices are somehow good or acceptable when deep down we know otherwise. Even to regard sins as mere “mistakes” discounts their gravity.

…The “I’m only human” mentality can become an excuse for failing the spiritual battle. We might content ourselves with mediocrity. We aren’t perfect, we might say, but we’re better than many others. We stop challenging ourselves. Like the SNL character Stuart Smalley, we look in a mirror and say, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!”

We’re not called to be “good enough.” We’re called to the likeness of God through the imitation of Christ. …The Son of God became man so that we might become sons and daughters of God. …There is no higher dignity.

Christ’s Resurrection reminds us that we too are destined to rise. In imitating Christ, we seek Christian perfection. We fall short, but our effˆorts to cooperate with grace must persist. …The Mass and sacraments empower us on that path.

…The more “perfect” we become, the more we become a “human person fully alive,” a true son or daughter of God. To be authentically human means to fulfill the purpose for which God created us.

GERALD KORSON is an editorial consultant and staff writer for Legatus magazine. He is serving temporarily as acting editor.