To be relevant for the people of our time, a modern way to holiness

Are we still relevant in today's society?

The first time I heard this question was when the bishop of Delhi asked it to his seminarians and what he meant was, “in this society where we live today, does our presence make any difference? Is it any better because of our presence?” No doubt, in the past, priests and religious were relevant figures in their society. This was not only due to the fact that they owned most of the schools and hospitals, but also the daily life of common people used to rotate around the local churches and their activities. They could rightly call their work “ministry”. Then little by little society developed, private individuals opened their own schools and hospitals which, along with those of governments, became as good (and sometimes better) than those of religious and priests . Many priests and religious started sensing a loss of meaning in their life and blamed this on their lack of professional skills.

Today society is widely secularized, people do not depend anymore on what we say, but clearly express the freedom of holding their own ideas, which, in some cases are aligned to the teaching of the Church, but in other cases is quite distant from it.

We are called to be “stones rejected by the builders” among people or “seeds” that have to die in order to bear fruit, but the question is, “Is our presence still relevant for those around us?” This question came back to my mind after watching an Irish movie called “Calvary”. It is the story of a priest who, while hearing a confession, is told by the penitent that he would come back after seven days to kill him. The priest, faced with the prospect of an approaching death, finds himself with only a week to attempt making a difference in the life of many of his acquaintances, with whom he has been living and whose problems he had just neglected, treating them as a normal part of life, not to be taken seriously. The sad part of the movie is that, in spite of the priest’s hard work, the life of those people carries on as before, even after the priest's death.

When we look at the crowds that gather at the Pope's meetings, we could say that if those people went all the way to go and see him and hear his message, then surely Pope Francis is a relevant person. What about us? How many people would make the effort to come to listen to us? And how many of them would start changing their way of life inspired by our words?

R. Sharma is a very popular Indian writer. One of his books goes by the title: “When you die, who will come to your funeral?” I add, “And what difference would that make to them?” Was their closeness to me due to the fact that I was a relative, friend or a priest, or because of the way I live my priesthood? If they come just because I am a priest, then we can apply the old Roman saying, “Morto un Papa se ne fa un altro” (when a pope dies another one is made). If they are close to me because I am a relative or a friend they will feel the loss, but time will heal the wound. But if they have come attracted by my way of life that would cause a change in their way of life too, and, hopefully, the one who takes my place would continue in this ministry.

Theologians say that whatever a Christian does (so much more a priest) should always have 5 religious connotations. They are:

“Kerygma”: announcement, evangelization,

“Martyria:” witness,

“Leitourgia”: celebration of the glory of God

“Diakonia”: love as service,

and “Koinonia”: love as communion.

If we manage to be faithful to these 5 points, then we give an answer to the existential questions all people carry deep within themselves, questions which, most of the time, they have repressed in a forgotten part of their brain to avoid the pain of not being able to give a suitable answer. Some of these questions are: “Who am I? Where do I come from and where am I going to? What is the meaning of my being alive? Is there anything after death? What real joy is? Where to find it? How long will it last?” and many more. Let us see what these 5 Greek words mean practically. It is needless to add that what is explained here applies to all situations in life and all kinds of relationships, no matter whether we act because of friendship, blood relationship, ministry, or just as members of society.

1) “Kerygma”: when we speak, what do we say? What is the content of our speech? Are we expressing our own ideas or God's? Do our topics carry a message of salvation for those who hear them? If we speak only of our own ideas, what difference is there between us and any other speaker, whether a politician or a sociologist? Our ideas can be suitable for some but not for others, and how long will their power last? Only God has the answer to all questions, he alone has words of eternal life.

2) “Martyria”: is our lifestyle consistent with our speech? Do we live what we profess? When people see us do they see Christ who humbled himself and became one of us in order to save us?

If we live just like anyone else, what difference, then, is there between us and them? What need is there for us to be present?

3) “Leiturgia”: what is the purpose of our life and our actions? St. Ignatius of Loyola used to encourage his followers to do everything “Ad maiorem Dei gloriam” (For the greater glory of God). Don Orione used to say, “Our life must be like a canticle of love”. Are we, on the contrary, working for our own glory or success? What difference is there, then, between us and any businessman?

4) “Diakonia”: it is the first feature of love. Is our ministry a real service? Do we carry out our apostolate in a really selfless way? Are we able to act as Christ would? Are we really doing things as if we were doing them for Christ? If not, what difference is there between us and any social worker?

5) “Koinonia”: this is the other feature of love - communion. It is not only a matter of serving the other but also to try to get in communion with him, to be one with him, as Jesus does with us. We know from the Gospel that the unity we create among us makes the presence of Jesus real. Are we really trying to understand people? Are we patient, merciful, forgiving, accompanying people? Or are we patronizing others? What difference is there, then, between us and any other leader?

Looking at such a long list of questions, one may get discouraged and think that the way to holiness - because this is the real name of being relevant today - is a matter reserved to a few chosen ones. It is not so. The many indications above become simple when we just try to live in the presence of God. Prayer and being true to our vocation is the key of life, and all the rest becomes easy after that, a mere consequence. If we are convinced of the love of God for us, and of the fact that consistency with our vocation is the best way to get the fullness of this love, then all becomes easy.

That is why saints have become - and still are - relevant to the people of their time.

All of us can do this.