Strange as it may sound, many people have a False Understanding of Devotion even though, admittedly, this is the Principal Act
of the Virtue of Religion. Generally it is thought of as something Soft, Sentimental,
somewhat Effeminate.
Some years ago Father Gerald Kelly, S.J., pointed out that people commonly attach high importance to
Devotion in every sphere but Religion. He wrote:
In all other affairs devotion has a lofty signification. Men speak with respect and awe of the
soldier who is devoted to his country, of a husband devoted to his wife, of parents devoted to their children, of a doctor
devoted to his duty, and so forth. In all these uses, devotion means something solid, a spirit of self-sacrifice and of true
heroism. Yet, in the religious sphere the word has a 'fluffy' connotation; the mere accidentals are frequently mistaken for
the substance.
Devotion, as the Principal Component of the Virtue of Religion, is the
highest of all forms of Devotion. It means a Perfect Willingness to
fulfill the Will of God in all things; the Readiness to Perform all our Duties and
Obligations towards God, no matter what the cost may be. It is concerned with Honoring and
Serving God as He
deserves to be Honored and Served.
A Man filled with Devotion to God is moved to Serve
Him with a Zeal that amounts to Perfect Self-dedication. This is the Goal towards which we
must all aspire. Blessed is the Man who Serves his
God with his Whole Heart, his Whole
Mind, his Whole Strength and his Neighbor as himself! Every
Christian is called to this type of Holiness
according to the Words of Christ: "Be Perfect as your
Heavenly Father is Perfect".
