During the canonization mass, Pope Francis proclaimed ten new saints in St. Peter’s Square. In his sermon, he reminds believers to recognize how God loves us unconditionally and that the path to holiness is “so easy” and requires seeing Jesus in others.
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Just as God had a dream for the new saints, He has a dream for our lives that we are called to embrace with joy and live throughout our daily lives.
Pope Francis offered this encouragement during Sunday’s canonization mass for ten new saints in St. Peter’s Square, reminding the fifty thousand or so faithful gathered at the Vatican that God has a dream for each and every one of us.
Canonization Mass
Canonization of 10 new saints
At the beginning of the liturgical celebration, the Pope proclaimed ten new saints: Titus Brandsma; Lazzarus Devasahayam; Cesar de Bus; Luigi Maria Palazzolo; Giustino Maria Russolillo; Charles de Foucauld; MariaRivier; Maria Francesca by Jesus Rubatto; Mary of Jesus Santocanale; Maria Domenica Mantovani.
The Holy Father began He recalled how Jesus said to his disciples in today’s Gospel of John: “As I have loved you, so shall you love one another.”
This, according to the Pope, is the legacy that Christ left us, “the final criterion to know whether we are really his disciples or not, the commandment of love”.
The Pope considered two elements of this commandment: Jesus’ love for us and the love he asks us to show to others.
Pope at the Canonization Mass
Love defines our Christianity
Jesus loved us so much, the Pope recalled, that he gave himself completely.
“Let’s never forget that. The focus is not on our abilities and merits, but on the unconditional, free and undeserved love of God.”
Our Christian life, the pope said, “begins not with doctrine and good works, but with the amazement that comes when we realize we are loved before we react.”
Pope Francis makes another appeal to world leaders that they may be protagonists of peace and not war.
The Pope warned that the world often tries to convince us that we are only valued for what we can achieve, yet the gospel reminds us that we are loved. To be loved, he emphasized, is an essential part of our Christian identity and our strength.
Rethinking the meaning of holiness
Recognition of this truth requires a reversal in the way we often think about holiness.
“Sometimes, by overemphasizing our efforts to do good works,” the pope observed, “we have created an ideal of holiness that places undue emphasis on ourselves, our personal exploits, our capacity for renunciation, and our willingness to sacrifice ourselves supports a reward. In this way we have made holiness an unattainable goal. We separated them from everyday life instead of looking for them and incorporating them into our daily routines.”
“Being a disciple of Jesus and walking on the path of holiness means first of all letting yourself be transfigured by the power of God’s love.”
The love we receive from the Lord, the Pope said, is the power that transforms our lives, opens our hearts and empowers us to love.
“What does it mean in practice to live this love?” asked the Pope. “To love means this: to serve and to give one’s life. To serve means not to put our own interests first: to rid our systems of the poison of greed and competitiveness; to fight the cancer of indifference and the worm of self-referentiality; the to share charisms and gifts that God has given us.”
In particular, we should ask ourselves, “What am I doing for others?”
Small acts of everyday love
Giving one’s life, the pope said, is more than just offering something of ours to others, “it’s about giving them our selves.” It requires, he underlined, “to overcome our selfishness to make our life a gift, by attending to the needs of those around us, by striving to help others, or simply by listening patiently, spending time with them, make something a call.”
Holiness does not consist of a few heroic gestures, but of many small acts of daily love.
“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 working 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 sacrificing personal gain (Gaudete et Exsultate, 14).”
Our vocation, the Pope said, is to serve others and offer our lives without expecting anything in return.
Pope at the Canonization Mass
God’s dream for your life
“This is how our fellow travelers canonized today lived their sanctity. Enthusiastically embracing their vocations – priests, consecrated women, lay people – they dedicated their lives to the Gospel. They discovered an incomparable joy and became brilliant reflections of the Lord of History.”
The Holy Father called on the faithful to follow their example and pursue our own call to holiness, a form of holiness unique to us, “not a photocopy of someone else’s holiness”.
Pope Francis concluded by reminding believers that “God has a dream for your life. Embrace this dream and pursue it with joy.”
Watch the full video of the Canonization Mass