Anthony Esolen wrote in Touchstone a few years ago his observations of how good and holy people such as Mother Teresa manage to provoke hatred of themselves. This caused him
“…to ask what it is about the holy that strikes fear into the hearts of so many. We think that the saints are beautiful, and they are. Then how do people miss it?
“Then again, why should we be surprised that they miss it, when in Jesus himself, as far as many a Pharisee would concede, no beauty was to be found? When Jesus wrought his signs and wonders, and when he taught with authority about the kingdom of God, what did those Pharisees ask him, but why his disciples did not wash their hands before eating, and suchlike? They had before them the Lord, the long-awaited anointed of God, who had made the blind to see and the deaf to hear, and somehow the truth could not penetrate the shells of their self-regard.
“For the holy is a challenge to us, and therefore an affront. It does not curry our favor. It does not mingle with the guests at parties in our own honor, eating cucumber sandwiches and speaking empty pleasantries. It is not nice. It stands in fearful judgment before us. The holy is set apart; its ways are not our ways; yet it calls us to surrender our ways, and to be converted.”
“Let us, finally, be quite clear about one thing. Those who believe in God, and who honor his holiness, longing to be transformed in mind and soul—they are the true and only humanists. They hold so high a view of man that, if they were to see a victim of cholera dying in a ditch in Calcutta, they would burn in shame that the image of God should be treated with such contempt; or should they see a rich man destroying his soul with the vices that money can buy, they would pray that he might someday see what man is called to be.”
Gladsome Lights 
This is very insightful. I have to agree, I remember making that choice, that in trying to follow God, raise a Godly family, that it would be a path more often than not of loneliness of being misunderstood, and not having friends or being popular.
Now, years later am I thankful for those choices? Oh yes, none of the six walked away from the faith, 3 of the six that are married, follow the Lord they and their families. The three unmarried, are serving the Lord in some way or the other. I don’t want to say this as way as bragging, but because following God was the hardest thing we ever did, but has He given to us over flowing into our laps. Yes!!!
For the most part, I think it was the faithfulness of God to take the crumbs we offered. Because every thing we did was just not normal. Sometimes the worst persecution came from the believers we thought were friends. We are still very weird from the world’s standards I might add. I remember reading Amy Carmichael saying that “God gave everything for us, what will I give to Him? Am I willing to give the best?”
Just a question, I notice in your recently read you read Peace like a River by Leif Enger. What did you think? I still have questions in my mind. Okay, I will stop, have a lovely day.
LikeLike
Oh Gretchen, thank you a million times for this! Our priest (my spiritual director) has been talking with me about the same thing. This is the season I’m in – God is teaching me more deeply about holiness and suffering, and this post is a perfect piece of that puzzle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful quotes. It’s true that holiness somehow doesn’t engage — well, it doesn’t engage in the ways that the world/culture is used to being engaged — , but it does silently hold such a standard! Holiness, I think, does not judge anyone, but somehow it stands apart so much that people are affronted; they feel judged. Interesting topic.
LikeLike
I always think of the verse – ‘For we struggle not against flesh and blood but against principalities & powers’…in relation to what he is addressing and try to remember what’s behind the antagonism people show.
I noticed you’ve just finished reading Crossing to Safety. What did you think of it? My book club has scheduled it for next month and I hadn’t heard of it before.
LikeLike
That was my second reading of Crossing to Safety. The first time was many years ago and the main thing I remembered from that reading was that the characters were so real (and realistic) to me that I found myself praying for one of them! Then my husband read it and loved it, and I read it again with a whole new appreciation. I’m sure it would bear a third reading….especially with my forgetful mind. Maybe I’m getting to that stage in life where I’ll only need one book to read. 😉
LikeLike
Thanks! I didn’t want to start it if it wasn’t going to be worthwhile.
LikeLike