"Rejoice and Be Glad": The call of holiness for all

MATTHEW'S GOSPEL MANDATE, “Rejoice and be glad” (Matt. 5:12) was not written to be delivered as a nostalgic discourse to a grateful crowd of witnesses. Rather, these words were remembered by this evangelist as ones articulated by Jesus. Matthew was writing for a new community that was being pursued and persecuted. Like the historical writers of the Old Testament, Matthew is conveying a singular devotion and joyful passion in the midst of all that life brings. What an amazing choice of words for a call to holiness today. Inherent in these words is the conviction that no matter what we believers are asked to do, we must do it all with joyful hearts. 

The sense of joy that comes with holiness is something Pope Francis embodies, and it is an important theme in his exhortation Gaudete Et Exsultate/Rejoice and Be Glad. In this beautifully written work, he leads us to the call of the One who loves us beyond measure, so that we might respond to our unique callings with love and joy. 

The call to holiness embodies

Pope Francis has offered vocation directors and all those who support vocational ministry a practical gift with this exhortation. It is a discernment guide or outline of a “practical way for our time, with all its risks, challenges, and opportunities,” (2) to live a holy life. From the outset, the call to holiness outlined by Pope Francis indicates a journey profoundly rooted in reality. The fact is that the world pushes us toward another way of living and this call to holiness requires “going against the flow” (65). We are offered, however, countless examples along the way. From cover to cover, the call to holiness is a story told by the Bible writers. 

Throughout the 55-page document, Pope Francis teaches that God asks everything of us and offers us everything we need to answer our unique mission or call to holiness. Quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis illustrates, “Christ enables us to live in him all that he himself lived, and he lives it in us” (20). Using stories of mothers, grandmothers, and neighbors, or as Pope Francis calls them, “the saints next door” (6), as well as giving examples from the communion of the saints, this work focuses on how each believer’s baptism can be a seedbed for a life that bears fruit and “reflects God’s holiness in the world” (12). 

Each of us embodies the love of God in our time and place. Silence, action, mistakes, missteps, distractions, choices, attitudes, are all included in our path to holiness. The whole of our lives, all the ups and downs, emerge as our reflection of Jesus Christ in the world today. We are even encouraged by Pope Francis to look beyond the partitions of our own faith tradition to see other stellar examples of holiness. Witnessing to the life of Christ, including to the point of martyrdom, is a tradition shared by many Christian faiths. Attempting to answer the call to holiness dims any noise that divisions among us try to make. 

The heart of the document begins by naming two flagrant enemies that get in the way, and lead us off-course from our call to holiness: gnosticism and pelagianism. These ancient heresies display themselves in many unhealthy and unholy behaviors today. Rigid elitism, myopic ideology, and punctilious justification are often practiced by those who are easily seduced by beliefs without love or truths void of charity. Today’s gnostics fall into the temptation of believing that all of faith is graspable. Modern day pelagians hold fast to the concept that their call to holiness depends on themselves alone. Each believer is called to reflect upon how and where these modern day deviations of faith may be present in our lives. Pope Francis clearly states that the call to holiness is profoundly rooted in what he calls the “summation of the law” (60). God’s grace is pure gift. All is gift. Love of God and charity toward our neighbor, especially the most vulnerable, is what truly counts and where God’s image is found.  

The Beatitudes are enumerated in this exhortation as a rich outline or guide to living in Christ today. “Jesus explained with great simplicity what it means to be holy when he gave us the Beatitudes” (63). Before expounding on the Beatitudes, the pope recognizes how all-encompassing living these guidelines can be. “Let us allow his (Jesus’) words to unsettle us, to challenge us, and to demand a real change in the way we live” (65). Francis explains each Beatitude using examples from actual life situations. He addresses themes such as security, trust in God, and authentic happiness. He defines a life full of mercy, faith, and compassion. 

As a follow-up on the Beatitudes, Pope Francis calls Matthew 25 the “great criterion” (95). He is not just implying that wherever we might happen to meet the hungry, the naked, the stranger, the sick, or imprisoned, we are called to feed, clothe, welcome, care for, and visit. But, he says we must fashion our lives in such a way that we go out to meet them and attend to them. Here he believes the very heart of Christ is revealed to us as a way of life. “This is what it is to be Christian” (99). 

Pope Francis continues by defining five modern-day signs or attitudes of holiness, explaining that this list is not exhaustive, but includes important approaches. These five signs—perseverance, joy, passion, community life, and prayer—offer us a way to express our love of God and neighbor.

This apostolic exhortation concludes with a reminder to practice spiritual combat and discernment. The devil or “evil one” exists, and spiritual corruption can lead to various forms of blindness, such as self-centeredness or self-deception. Discernment will allow us to follow Christ more faithfully. 

In keeping with tradition, Pope Francis concludes this exhortation by dedicating to Mary his reflections on the call to holiness in these modern times. In her life we are offered the most hallowed of examples. We are reminded that all we need to do is to call upon her name, “Hail Mary…,” and we will be centered in our desire to live like Christ in our world (176). 

The call to holiness emboldens 

Throughout this exhortation, it is evident that Pope Francis envisions the call to holiness as a spiritual mission. The God who fills these pages has a loving and inviting Spirit. All are welcome! Those seeking to live out this quest for holiness encounter the course where gospel living meets faith. 

Following is a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) for vocation directors. In the responses, I reflect on the sorts of answers Pope Francis gives within this exhortation. 

FAQ: Who is called?

In an effort, I believe, to root the theology of call in the Second Vatican Council, Pope Francis begins the section entitled, “The Lord Calls,” by quoting from Lumen Gentium (Light of the Nations):

Yet, with this exhortation I would like to insist primarily on the call to holiness personally, to you: “Be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44; cf. I Pet. 1:16). The Second Vatican Council states this clearly: ‘Strengthened by so many and such great means of salvation, all the faithful, whatever their condition or state, are called by the Lord—each in his or her own way—to that perfect holiness by which the Father himself is perfect (14).

All are called and each believer has a vocation. The faithful are advised to not be turned off by the lives of saints that appear out of reach or too divine. Discern your own path in your own way. There are many ways of bearing witness. Whether you are discerning a call to religious life or another vocation, Pope Francis insists that each is “called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves” (14). 

How great is it to be able to use these words to encourage the searcher who claims she loves to party too much or the one inquiring who says he did not grow up in a “religious household”: “We should not grow discouraged before examples of holiness that appear unattainable. The important thing is that each believer discerns his or her path, that they bring out the best of themselves, the most personal gifts that God has placed in their hearts” (11). 

Often vocation directors communicate with seekers who seem to be discerning life in general, much more than a vocation. How frequently do conversations with interested individuals include themes about call or the plan God has for us? How does the vocation director answer questions about responding to God’s call? Pope Francis offers great advice for initial conversations with those who ask you to explore with them: “Let the grace of your baptism bear fruit in a path of holiness. Let everything be open to God; turn to him in every situation.” (15) 

It is heartening to see how Pope Francis prophetically includes “the feminine styles of holiness” (12). The Holy Spirt of God did not ignore women, despite how history has treated them. Women were used by God for reform and spiritual renewal in the church. Specifically mentioned are some famous women saints, Hildegard of Bingen, Bridget, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila, and Thérèse of Lisieux. But, as he does throughout the whole document, Pope Francis also remembers the countless unnamed, unknown, and perhaps forgotten women who sustained and transformed lives wherever they lived.

FAQ: What does becoming a sister or brother or priest involve? 

In the most simple, yet most profound way possible, Pope Francis describes what is at the heart of the call to holiness—the common good. This exhortation offers the opportunity to dive deeply into conversations with those looking for a birds-eye view of religious life. This document on holiness offers a context for a spiritual life and a framework for a direct engagement with the demands of the Gospel. Here is the message any vocation director longs to communicate—how his or her charism brings the Good News to our world. In defining what a Christian is, this pontiff, himself so well practiced in reaching out to the poor and vulnerable, clearly states that the “lively recognition of the dignity of each human being” (98) is primal. 

 If I encounter a person sleeping outdoors on a cold night, I can view him or her as an annoyance, or even a piece of refuse cluttering a public space. Or I can respond with faith and charity, and see in this person with a dignity identical to my own, a creature infinitely loved by the Father, an image of God, a brother or sister redeemed by Jesus Christ. That is what it is to be a Christian. (98)

At the heart of every vocation is this recognition of our dignity and the ideal that caring for each other is caring for God. We are bound by a common Creator, a loving God who asks all of us to be that love for others. Pope Francis enumerates this dedication to the common good by specifically naming the migrant. And, this Pope who has been so dedicated to the causes of the migrant and refugee, is profoundly clear: “there is the error of those Christians who separate these Gospel demands from their personal relationship with the Lord…” (100). Addressing the individual or collective needs of our common humanity, Pope Francis spells out, is not enough. We must also work to change the social, economic, and political systems, as well as the ecclesial structures, that create division and injustice.

FAQ: What is life as a religious like?

Vocation directors often need to distinguish between a profession or career and the foundations of the call to holiness. Clearly this devoted man of prayer, Pope Francis, believes that my vocation is not what I do, but who I am. Religious today, according to this call to holiness, should be modeling a transcendent trajectory patterned after gospel living. Does my life show others how to live an alternative to the superficial, worldly, materialistic, or consumeristic lifestyles of today? Is my worship pleasing to God because my prayer leads me to give freely of myself? “The best way to discern if my prayer is authentic,” Pope Francis says, is to judge to what extent our life is being transformed in the light of mercy” (104). 

To answer a call to holiness means letting go of suspicion of the social engagement of others. Have we as religious fallen into the unholy trap of being devoted to one ethical issue over others? Do we label how another chooses to live her or his gospel values? The pope writes:

Our defense of the innocent unborn, for example, needs to be clear, firm, and passionate for at stake is the dignity of a human life, which is always sacred and demands love for each person, regardless of his or her stage of development. Equally sacred are the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute, the abandoned and the underprivileged, the vulnerable infirm and elderly exposed to covert euthanasia, the victims of human trafficking, new forms of slavery, and every other form of rejection. (101) 

Dedicating your life to others requires living with hope and joy. Pope Francis would say that this is not the joy found in a life chasing after the latest smart phone. “Consumerism only bloats the heart” (128). This is a joy rooted in God’s love. It is a joy that is always accompanied by a sense of humor. How many religious women and men, when telling their vocation stories, say they were attracted by the laughter and joy they witnessed? When hard times come, being joyful carries you through. It is a joy that brings “deep security, serene hope, and a spiritual fulfilment that the world cannot understand or appreciate” (125). 

Religious today must be the prophetic voice of the church. We are called to live with what Pope Francis refers to as parrhesía or boldness (129). We are the ones in the boats pushing off from the shore. Ours is a fervor or passion that takes risks and leaves a mark in this world. The compassion of Jesus we are called to model with our lives as religious women and men leaves no room for hesitancy or self-consciousness. It is impossible to be about a mission of liberation if we are timid. Apostolic courage is given to all. 

The call to holiness embraces

Throughout this beautifully inspired exhortation, what comes across with a profound depth is the universality of our church, our catholicity, we could say. The call to holiness is a global endeavor. In one paragraph, Pope Francis is quoting a Vietnamese cardinal and in the next, he recounts something said by the New Zealand bishops. Biblical figures stand next to modern day examples of those who work for peace and justice. We are offered examples by the “great cloud of witnesses” and reminded of the sanctity of all the ordinary folks, the neighbors of our lives. Famous saints, and lesser known ones, such as Blessed Maria Gabriella Sagheddu, are presented as witnesses of faith. Holy women and men of other faith traditions are recalled. 

It is in this ordinary, worldwide way of life, this common journey that we all share, where the call to holiness is found. And Pope Francis constantly puts himself, as supreme pontiff and head of the church, right there with everyone else. You can just picture him, as you read this definition of holiness, driving in his little car behind others in the big Cadillacs. It is so easy to see him taking the bus to work each day as cardinal of Buenos Aires. Reading in between the lines helps us recall how he has given up a palatial residence at the Vatican for simpler quarters. We are reminded of his making room in Rome for a place to feed the hungry and give shelter to the homeless. 

Gaudete Et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad) is truly an example of this man’s singular devotion and joyful passion, both of which come through in each word on every page. No matter how we answer God’s call to holiness with our lives, we are given everything we need to be women and men of faith, hope, and love.  

Sister Peggy Ryan, O.P., a member of the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, Wisconsin, is an adjunct professor and the assistant director of field education in the School of Social Work at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. She holds a doctor of ministry degree from Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida and an MSW from the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

Related articles

“Daring to live as Pope Francis encourages,” by Friar Matthew Gummess, O.Carm., HORIZON Spring 2015. 

“Highlights of the pope’s letter to religious,” by Pope Francis, HORIZON Winter 2015.