What does it mean to be holy? How do we lead holy lives?
As a teacher, I think often about this question and about how to guide students in concretizing its answer.
But so do all of us, I guess. We think about how to bring holiness and meaning into our lives, in one way or another. We think about what God wants from us when He tells us to be holy (Leviticus 19:2). We think about how to convey holiness to our children.
We wonder if being holy means living more ascetic lives. If we are supposed to deprive ourselves of the pleasures of this world so that somehow, we can draw closer to the non-physical part of ourselves and to God Himself. Perhaps we can experience our souls more if we try to deny that we have bodies.
Philosophies abound that tell us this is so. That someone who truly wants to be spiritual, to be close to God, must rise above the concrete boundaries and physical needs of this world in order to reach transcendent heights.