Last Monday (April 9), Pope Francis issued the third Apostolic Exhortation of his papacy, entitled "Gaudete et Exsultate" ("Rejoice and Be Glad: The Call to Holiness in Today's World"). An apostolic exhortation is an official letter to the Church, one level below an encyclical (which is the highest form of a papal letter). As with so many of the writings of Pope Francis, this is a practical, down-to-earth letter which addresses one of the prmary themes of the Second Vatican Council--the universal call to holiness. Basically, this means that everyone (not just priests or nuns or professional church workers) is called to be a saint! By virtue of our Baptism, we are given a share in God's own life which, with God's help, we are commissioned to nurture and grow into over the course of our lives. But how do we do that, especially in a world filled with so many potential distractions and concerns? This is the question that Pope Francis addresses in his letter. While nothing can really substitute for readhing the letter itself (which is available online at
http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20180319_gaudete-et-exsultate.html), a really good summary of the letter can be found on "The Jesuit Post" website at
https://thejesuitpost.org/2018/04/gaudete-et-exsultate-an-overview/ (These links are also available on our parish's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/stannsofcanyon)
Here are some highlights of the pope's letter:
The purpose of the letter is "to repropose the call to holiness in a practical way for our own time, with all its risks, challenges, and opportunities." (2)
Holiness is not limited to a few, but can be "found in our next-door neighbors, those who, living in our midst, reflect God's presence." (7)
"Are you called to the consecrated life? Be holy by living out your commitment with joy. Are you married? Be holy by loving and caring for your husband or wife, as Christ does for the Church. Do you work for a living? Be holy by labouring with integrity and skill in the service of your brothers and sisters. Are you a parent or grandparent? Be holy by patiently teaching the little ones how to follow Jesus. Are you in a position of authority? Be holy by working for the common good and renouncing personal gain." (14)
We should not be afraid of holiness. Rather than taking away our joy or energy, holiness will fill us with true happiness. (32)
The Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7) especially the Beatitudes and Corporal Works of Mercy (Mt 25:35-36) provide us with the basic ingredients of holiness. (63-95)
Five key attitudes of holiness in today's world are humility, a sense of humor, passion, community, and prayer. (110-157)