The Way to Holiness

But to know what is the way to holiness, we must go with the Apostles up the mount of the Beatitudes to draw near to Jesus and listen to the words of life that come from his lips. Today too he says to us again: 

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! The divine Teacher proclaims "blessed" and, we could say, "canonizes" first of all the poor in spirit, that is, those whose heart is free of prejudices and conditionings, and who are therefore totally disposed to the divine will. Their total and trusting fidelity to God presupposes renunciation and consistent self-detachment. 

Blessed are those who mourn! This is the blessedness not only of those who suffer from the many misfortunes that belong to the mortal human condition, but also those who courageously accept the sufferings that result from the sincere profession of Gospel morality. 

Blessed are the pure in heart! He proclaims blessed those who are not content with outward or ritual purity, but seek that absolute inner rectitude which excludes all deceit and duplicity. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness! Human righteousness is already a very lofty goal, which ennobles the heart of whoever pursues it, but Jesus is thinking of that greater righteousness which lies in seeking God's saving will: blessed above all are those who hunger and thirst for this righteousness. For Jesus says: "He who does the will of my Father who is in heaven shall enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 7: 21). 

Blessed are the merciful! Happy are those who overcome their hardness of heart and indifference, to recognize in practice the primacy of compassionate love, following the example of the Good Samaritan and, in the last analysis, of the Father "rich in mercy" (Eph 2: 4). 

Blessed are the peacemakers! Peace, the sum of all messianic blessings, is a demanding task. In a world marked by tremendous antagonisms and barriers, fratern

al harmony inspired by love and sharing must be promoted by overcoming hostilities and conflicts. Blessed are those who dedicate themselves to this most noble endeavor! 

The saints took these words of Jesus seriously. They believed that they would find "happiness" by putting them into practice in their lives. And they realized their truth in everyday experience: despite their trials, moments of darkness and failures, they already tasted here below the deep joy of communion with Christ. In him they discovered the initial seed, already present in time, of the future glory of God's kingdom. 

(Blessed John Paul II)

Jesus is the Way

The Pauline Family, sons and daughters of Blessed James Alberione, ssp, will be celebrating the feast of Jesus, our Divine Master, Way, Truth and Life on October 27. Let us reflect together this truth so that we can go deeper into the life of Jesus who loves us all without conditions.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6). Jesus did not say He was a way” to God; He did not say He “knew the way” to God; He did not say, “He had the way” to God; He did not say He was “the best way” to God. Jesus said, “I am the Way.”

There is no need to look for a way to find the Way. He is the one-way, the straightway, the narrow way, the uncluttered and unhindered way—without crooked places, U-turns, or dead-ends. Every other way is the broad way, the perilous way, and the rough way. All other ways lead in the wrong direction.

Jesus is the right way, the true way, and the only way to God. His way is the highway of holiness, the roadway of righteousness, and the pathway of peace. He is the way to everything good, right, just, and holy. His is the way to love and He is the way of love.

Because He is the Way, we can seek Him, receive Him, follow Him, walk with Him— full of faith, full of hope, full of joy, full of purpose, full of light.