When Saint Paul talks about following Christ, he warns us that it won’t be a walk in the park. We can, however, expect divine help.

“Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh,” he writes, “(for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:3–5).

This passage makes clear that obedience to Christ starts with how we think. Just as we clean our windows to ensure an unobstructed view, we need to purify our outlook with the understanding of man’s spiritual origin as the offspring, the image and likeness, of God. God, the only creator, is infinite good, so man reflects only God’s goodness.