Pope Francis’ Formula for Holiness
Pope Francis released an Apostolic Exhortation entitled, Gaudete et Exsultate (Rejoice and be Glad) on 9 April 2018. Normally, an Apostolic Exhortation arrives after a synod. Often, they’re written following a gathering of bishops, known as a synod—but not always, as was the case with Gaudete et Exsultate. Some experts put apostolic exhortations third in the rank of papal documents, after apostolic constitutions and encyclicals. Francis’ Gaudete et Exsultate will be his third apostolic exhortation, after Evangelii Gaudium, widely considered the roadmap of this pontificate, and Amoris Laetitia (On family). This document is basically a reflection of Vatican II’s universal call to holiness (Lumen Gentium 40). Here are the five basic themes of the document.
- Be human, Be Holy
Holiness is not associated with the beatified or canonised alone. Francis mentions holiness of the ordinary, “saints next door.” He sees holiness in those parents who raise their children with immense love, in those men and women who work hard to support their families, in the sick, and in elderly religious who never lose their smile. He calls it as a middle class of holiness (7). Doing works of mercy is higher to acts of worship. Francis invites us to holiness, invoking St. Thomas Aquinas to argue that “works of mercy towards our neighbour” give greater glory to God than even acts of worship (106). This is the holiness in being ordinary in an extraordinary way: St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the French Carmelite who found holiness in doing small tasks; St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Jesuit founder who sought to find God in all things; St. Philip Neri, the founder of the Oratorians, who was renowned for his sense of humour. Francis offers examples of everyday sanctity, like a loving parent raising a child; as well as “small gestures” and sacrifices that one can make, like deciding not to pass on gossip. He even mentions that saints are ordinary people, with lots of imperfections (22).
- Misleading Views
Francis warns of two false forms of holiness that can lead us astray: Gnosticism and Pelagianism (35). The first is Gnosticism, from the Greek word gnosis, to know. Gnosticism is the old heresy that says that what matters most is what you know. No need to be charitable or do good works. All you need is the correct intellectual approach. Today Gnosticism tempts people to think that they can make the faith “entirely comprehensible” and leads them to want to force others to adopt their way of thinking. “When somebody has an answer for every question,” says Francis, “it’s a sign that they are not on the right road (41).” In other words, being a know-it-all is not going to save you. The second thing to avoid is Pelagianism, named after Pelagius, the fifth-century theologian associated with this idea. Pelagianism says that we can take care of our salvation through our own efforts. Pelagians trust in their own powers, don’t feel like they need God’s grace and act superior to others because they observe certain rules.
- Humour and Holiness
Christian joy is usually accompanied by a sense of humour (126). Francis mentions three saints who had a sense of humour: Saint Thomas More, Saint Vincent de Paul and Saint Philip Neri. Ill-humour is no sign of holiness (126). He warns of an individualistic and consumeristic culture that offers passing pleasures of life. The real joy is in sharing and being shared. “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving” (Acts 20:35). “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7). Francis puts it right when he mentions the beatitudes in one’s life. “The word “happy” or “blessed” thus becomes a synonym for “holy.” It expresses the fact that those faithful to God and his word, by their self-giving, gain true happiness (64).”
- Beatitudes and Holiness
Pope Francis writes that “Jesus explained with great simplicity what it means to be holy when he gave us the Beatitudes (cf. Mt 5:3-12; Lk 6:20-23),” such that “the Beatitudes are like a Christian’s identity card” (63). The Beatitudes are a roadmap for holiness. As you might guess from the document’s title, the Beatitudes—“Blessed are you when…”—are central to this exhortation. The Beatitudes are not only what Jesus means by holiness, they are also a portrait of our Lord himself. So, we are called to be poor in spirit, meek, peacemakers, to hunger and thirst for righteousness, and so on. He concludes each beatitude with a simple and practical exhortation for all. For example: “Seeing and acting with mercy: that is holiness. (82).”
- Formation to Holiness
What are the ways to be holy? Stated positively, the Christian should rather be patient and meek (112-121); joyful (122-128); bold and passionate (129-139); communitarian (140-146); and constantly prayerful (147-157). Pope Francis calls for following and becoming more like Jesus, a life-long effort which leads us to and is sustained by the Eucharist. To attain holiness, there is a spiritual battle that we need to face. “The Christian life is a constant battle. We need strength and courage to withstand the temptations of the devil and to proclaim the Gospel (158).” He encourages us to exercise the process of discernment in matters both small and great. Finally, Francis exhorts all to pray “in dialogue with the Lord, a sincere daily “examination of conscience (169).”
- Quotable Quotes
No Individual Holiness: “In salvation history, the Lord saved one people. We are never completely ourselves unless we belong to a people. That is why no one is saved alone, as an isolated individual (6).”
Saints Next Door: “Very often it is a holiness found in our next-door neighbours, those who, living in our midst, reflect God’s presence. We might call them ‘the middle class of holiness’ (7).”
Helping hands better than chanting lips: “Here I think of Saint Thomas Aquinas, who asked which actions of ours are noblest, which external works best show our love for God. Thomas answered unhesitatingly that they are the works of mercy towards our neighbour, even more than our acts of worship (106).”
The devil is real: “Hence, we should not think of the devil as a myth, a representation, a symbol, a figure of speech or an idea (161).”
Humorous saints: “Far from being timid, morose, acerbic or melancholy, or putting on a dreary face, the saints are joyful and full of good humour (122).”
Contemplatives in Action: “It is not healthy to love silence while fleeing interaction with others, to want peace and quiet while avoiding activity, to seek prayer while disdaining service….. We are called to be contemplatives even in the midst of action, and to grow in holiness by responsibly and generously carrying out our proper mission (26).”
Jesus through Saints: “Every saint is a message which the Holy Spirit takes from the riches of Jesus Christ and gives to his people (21).”
Ordinary Holiness: “There are inspirations that tend solely to perfect in an extraordinary way the ordinary things we do in life (17).”
Imperfect Saints: “Not everything a saint says is completely faithful to the Gospel; not everything he or she does is authentic or perfect (22).”
Faithful to Our Deepest Self: “Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none of your energy, vitality or joy. On the contrary, you will become what the Father had in mind when he created you, and you will be faithful to your deepest self (32).”
True Happiness: “The word ‘happy’ or ‘blessed’ thus becomes a synonym for ‘holy.’. It expresses the fact that those faithful to God and his word, by their self-giving, gain true happiness (64).”
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