Higher up and Further In

You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Mt.5:48

Jesus has just given the command that we must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us so that we may be sons and daughters of our Father in Heaven.

The bar has been placed by Jesus so that it is always higher than us. No matter how holy and pious I think I'm doing, I'm not perfect. This means I can never be complacent, that there's always a stretch involved in living my Christian life. 

I'm called to live the best version of myself. Jesus' call to perfection means I'm always called to grow, that I always have that urge to go "higher up and further in" as Aslan calls to the children in the Narnia Chronicles. What an exciting way to live out my day today.

Lord Jesus, I hear your call to go higher up, further in. Help me push the envelope of my life today.

Saint Philip Neri, please pray for me.