“The only perfection of human beings lies in their becoming aware of their imperfection.” (St. Jerome)
What may at first sound like a pessimistic statement about human beings reveals itself, upon closer examination, to be a piece of wisdom that St. Jerome shares with us.
This insight helps us overcome false pride and self-assurance, enabling us to deeply understand our reality as human beings. The important thing now is how we deal with this. It would certainly be wrong to succumb to a kind of disordered sadness because of our imperfections, though we can, of course, mourn the loss of Paradise and all its consequences. Instead, this insight becomes an invitation to turn to the “Perfect One”: our beloved Father. By seeking Him and sharing in His perfection, we awaken to true life and to a proper understanding of our existence.
We are loved and in need of this love!
We are called to perfection, yet we cannot achieve it on our own.
We are permitted to share in divine glory, yet we are not God.
God created us in His image, but we need His constant help to unfold this image within us.
We are called to greatness, but first we must learn from God what is truly great.
We are called to freedom, but we must first be set free by the Son of God.
As the saint says, becoming aware of our imperfection is perfection!
It stirs our gratitude that we have a perfect God and makes us long for Him!