Excellence: the lost mark of Christianity
We have a problem in Christianity: we’ve lowered our standards to the point of mediocrity. To the point where we have a reputation for it and the world expects it. We see it everywhere: cheesy, poorly made Christian movies, worship music that all sounds the same… Not to mention, Catholic parishes have become a punchline of inefficiency, unhelpfulness, and even unkindness.
We have mistaken passivity for humility and timidity for kindness. We stopped striving, afraid that excellence looked too much like pride. But holiness is strong, sharp, and disciplined. And we’ve traded the boldness of the saints for the blandness of being “nice.”
But, excellence was once a mark of Christianity! We were known for building beautiful cathedrals that amazed the world. We led the culture in art, music, literature, and architecture, pointing to the divine with their beauty. And the Church has produced the best, boldest leaders in history—saints of courage and integrity, even of worldly success, who helped shape the future. Somewhere along the way, we lost that. Now, it’s time to get excellence back, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
Excellence Is Not Vanity, It’s Virtue
When excellence is right-ordered, it isn’t about ego or self-interest—it’s about hard work and selflessness. “Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men” (Col 3:23). Christians are meant to be diligent, dependable, and set apart. Laziness, sloppiness, and half-effort have no place in Christianity. Hard work and discipline make us holier and more like God, as Jesus says, “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). Striving for excellence is a holy pursuit, akin to striving for virtue. We all have unique, God-given gifts that we’re called to use with excellence for the sake of the world, not to bury our talents in the ground (Mt 25).
Christians should be known as the best in our fields, known for integrity, generosity, and a standard of excellence that reflects our faith. In a time when it was common to cheat customers and cut corners for personal gain, Jesus offered a radical command to do business differently. He commands a higher standard, which was a sign of contradiction then, and can still be today.
“Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” (Luke 6:38)
Christians should be the ones people want to work with and buy from, because they know we’ll do right by them. In a world of shortcuts and self-interest, Gospel values lead to long-term trust and loyalty both internally and externally. When we live out Christian principles at work—honesty, generosity, diligence, selflessness, respect—businesses actually do better and have more success!
Success Is Not a Sin
Success is not a sin; it is the natural result of living out excellence. It comes from hard work, as Proverbs says, “abundant crops come by the strength of the ox” (14:4). When we work hard, serve well, and build something good, success is likely to follow—both naturally and through God’s blessing. That’s not something to feel ashamed of, but to be proud of and give glory to God for! Many Christians feel guilty about wanting to succeed, but the scriptures never condemn success; it simply warns against the love of money (1 Tm 6:10).
Success is a good thing and even increases our opportunity to be generous. It allows us to provide for our families, support our parishes, fund ministries, employ others, build up society, and give abundantly to those in need. It opens doors to expand our mission and impact. When our desire to be excellent is rightly ordered, it becomes both a sign of and a tool for the Kingdom of God.
The Greatest Success
Excellence is a mark of Christianity, and it’s time for us to reclaim it. Not to impress the world, but to witness to it a life in pursuit of virtue, in pursuit of the Lord. The world is watching, and how we perform in all that we do tells a story about who we are and who we follow.
Ultimately, excellence is meant to bring about our holiness and invoke holiness in others. Sainthood is the highest excellence, and heaven is the greatest possible success.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)
