Perfectionism is the story of our times and channels much of what we do – from the search for the perfect home, the perfect partner, the perfect body, striving to be the perfect monk, the perfect woman – our culture packages and sells it effectively …skinny, thin, beautiful, great relationship, work is great too, life is perfect – it conforms to the all the norms.
This striving for perfection, conforming to the standard of this world, makes us ill at heart – we loose touch with our truth and become like everyone else – with our many dull vices – the general, the ordinary rotten mud of human meanness and cowardice and cruelty and evil and hate- we are all the same. Saints resist this temptation – they are virtuous – unique – in touch with their truth. It is in their virtues that saints are original – hating what is evil, holding fast to what is good, ardent in spirit, offering hospitality to strangers.
It is in our virtues that we are original and unique – virtues are particular, vices are general. We too can become saints – in touch with our truth – but truth is a risk that most of us find hard to face.