You Can't Make a Silk Purse Out Of A Sow's Ear

Man cannot transform himself into a holy being. As my Irish grandmother would say, "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear." In other words, only Christ can transform us into His image and draw us into the heart of His Father.

Stealing Christ's Job

Although we don't really understand what we are doing when we tackle sanctity like a chore, we are basically trying to save ourselves with our religious works.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8,9)

When religious practices are not motivated by love and humility but fueled by pride, they damage our intimacy with God. In fact, self-appointed spiritual disciplines that are not inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit are self-centered, not God-centered. To put this thought in more shocking terms, when we try to perfect ourselves we are stealing Christ's job of redemption and sanctification. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains:

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