Pope Francis

“Holiness is a journey; holiness cannot be bought. It can’t be sold. It cannot be given away.”

No Christian can exist without joy: that’s what Pope Francis said in his homily at Mass Monday morning in the chapel of the Santa Marta guesthouse. The pope stressed that even through life’s difficulties, the Christian knows he can trust in Jesus and find hope. The pope also reminded the

None of us, he stressed, can say “I am a holy and pure person.”

Pope Francis reflected on the need for Christians to consistently follow Jesus and not get waylaid or blocked on their journey of faith.

The Holy Spirit strengthens us so that we may bear witness to the Lord even through persecution.

“If you say you are in communion with the Lord, then walk in the light. But no to double lives! Not that!”

That resistance continues today in one way or another, he said, yet the Spirit moves ahead.

Love is beautiful, it is the path to happiness. But it is not an easy path.

“It’s good for the Christian heart to memorize my journey, my personal journey: just like the Lord who accompanied me up to here and held me by the hand.”

He is the door of our life—and not only of eternal life, but also of our daily lives.