Pope Francis and Holiness

I called an audible in my sophomore theology class. It wasn’t part of my syllabi, but as we closed out the year, I decided we would read Pope Francis’ latest exhortation, called “Gaudete et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad!). I thought it would speak to my sophomores. 

It did. 

Francis may not be the systematic theologian that his two predecessors were, but he’s great with the turn of phrase.  We’ve heard him say that “pastors should smell like the sheep that they shepherd,” and that the Church should be a “field hospital,” establishing “proximity to those it is called to heal.” 

In Gaudete et Exsultate, Francis talks about a “middle class of holiness.” By this he means not the great cloud of witnesses that the Church has canonized, but ordinary people, such as “parents who raise their children with immense love,” or “those men and women who work hard to support their families,” or the sick, or “elderly religious who never lose their smile.” He means the holiness of our “next door neighbors, who, living in our midst, reflect God’s presence.”

I stopped as we read this passage and asked my students if they knew people they’d consider “holy.” Over the next twenty minutes, they volunteered answers. One girl talked about her grandfather, who was born deaf, but was happy, kind and fun to be around. Another girl talked about her parish priest, who was “always joyful.” A young man mentioned his grandmother, who grew up really poor, but was prayerful and strong. Still another said her mother, who is “the most generous person I know.” A local youth minister was mentioned, who “cares about you and listens really well.” 

It may have been the best 20 minutes of class I’ve had all year. These kids get it. They recognize Christ working through others. 

But then again, I think we all do.