Pope Francis’ latest exhortation is a call to become holy by serving others, especially those most in need and migrants “who risk their lives to offer a future to their children”. The exhortation recalls the most basic teaching handed on by Jesus is to help others, “without any ‘ifs or buts.'”
Central to the new papal letter, which was released on April 9, is a reflection on the great criterion Jesus said will be used at the final judgment: “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”
The pontiff writes, “Given these uncompromising demands of Jesus, it is my duty to ask Christians to acknowledge and accept them in a spirit of genuine openness, sine glossa. Our Lord made it very clear that holiness cannot be understood or lived apart from these demands.”
Later in the document Pope Francis states: “Jesus explained with great simplicity what it means to be holy when he gave us the Beatitudes.” The pope continues. “The Beatitudes are like a Christian’s identity card. So if anyone asks: ‘What must one do to be a good Christian?,’ the answer is clear.”
The full text of Gaudete et Exsultate may be accessed by going to the following link: