Dear Friends,
Papa Francesco has done it again! At the beginning of his
sixth year as our Pope, Francis has offered believers, and indeed the world,
grist for spiritual growth.
This, the fifth of his documents, is an apostolic
exhortation on holiness. Entitled Gaudete
and Exultate (Rejoice and Be Glad), Pope Francis invites believers “to be
holy by living our lives with love and by being witness in everything we do, wherever
we find ourselves” (14).
In 135, Francis soars as he tells the reader about the
essential connection between love of God and love of neighbor..."God is eternal
newness and impels us constantly to set out anew, to pass beyond what is
familiar to the fringes and beyond. He takes us to where humanity is most
wounded, where women and men, beneath the appearance of a shallow conformity,
continue to seek answers to the question of life’s meaning. God is not afraid!
God is fearless, always greater than our plans and schemes. Unafraid of the fringes,
God himself becomes a fringe. So if we dare to go to the fringes, we will find
Him there. Indeed, He is already there. Jesus is already there, in the hearts
of our brothers and sisters, in their wounded flesh, in their troubles and in
their profound desolation. He is already there.”
At the same time, Francis doesn’t dismiss our need for
prayer. “I do not believe in holiness without prayer, even though that prayer
need not be lengthy or involve intense emotions” (147). But he continually goes back to the
indispensable need to serve others. “We may think that we give glory to God
only by our worship and prayer, or simply by following ethical norms. It is
true that the primacy belongs to our relationship with God, but we cannot
forget that the ultimate criterion on which our lives will be judged is what we
have done for others” (104).
In Chapter five, Francis writes about some virtues he
believes to be important for us to practice in our lives if we are to be holy: “perseverance
amid life’s ups and downs to endure hostility, betrayal and failings on the part of others,” (112),
humility, boldness and apostolic courage.
He also tells the reader that community is necessary for
holiness, contrary to our contemporary culture that advocates being apart. “Like
the prophet Jonah, we are constantly tempted to flee to a safe haven. It can
have many names: individualism, spiritualism, living in a little world,
addiction, intransigence, the rejection of new ideas and approaches, dogmatism,
nostalgia, pessimism, hiding behind rules and regulations. We can resist
leaving behind a familiar and easy way of doing things” (134).
“Growth in holiness,” Pope Francis continues, “is a journey
in community, side by side with others” (141). “Each community is called to
create a God-enlightened space in which to experience the hidden presence of
the Risen Lord” (142).
“Do not be afraid of holiness,” Pope Francis says. “It will
take away none of your energy, vitality or joy. On the contrary, you will
become what the Father had in mind for you when he created you, and you will be
faithful to your deepest self” (32).
~Sister Joan Sobala
