Conclusion

I am going to finish this long conversation with you. The things we have considered in the presence of God have helped us to understand a little more deeply the beauty and age-old novelty of the call to the Work. After so many centuries, our Lord has wanted to make use of us so that all Christians may, at last, discover the sanctifying value of ordinary life and professional work, as well as the effectiveness of the doctrinal apostolate carried out by our example, friendship and trust.

Value of holiness in ordinary life

Today Jesus our Lord wants us to proclaim this message, which is old like the Gospel and new like the Gospel, in every corner of the world. He wants us to do so in a thousand languages and with the gift of tongues, so that everyone will know how to apply the message to their own lives. It fills our hearts with joy to find traces of this same message in the preaching of the ancient Fathers of the Church; it is like yet another proof – although we don’t need one – of the evangelical origins of our way.

Sanctification of the world

I have quoted St John Chrysostom several times in this letter. Listen now to more words of his: “I do not say, Do not marry, forsake the city, withdraw from public affairs: but being engaged in them, show your virtue. Indeed, I would more gladly have approved those who are busy in the midst of the cities than those who went to live in the mountains. Why? Because great profit will come of this. For nor do people light a lamp, and put it under a basket (Matt 5:15).

Illuminating with the light of God

“And so,” he continues, “I would like every lamp to be set upon a lampstand, so that the light might be made manifest. So let us kindle this fire; let us act so as to free from error those who are sitting in darkness. Do not tell me: I have a wife, children, a household, and I cannot practise all this. For even if you had none of these things, yet if you are slothful, all is lost in any case; and if you have all these, if you are active and honest, you will attain virtue.”

“For there is only one thing that is wanted: an eager and generous mind. And then neither age, nor poverty, nor riches, nor a mass of business or anything else, will be able to stop you. And the fact is that old and young, the married, those bringing up children, craftsmen and soldiers have fulfilled all that the Lord commanded.”

The type of work does not matter

“For Daniel was young, and Joseph a slave, Aquila worked at a craft, and the purple dye-seller had a workshop; one was a prison keeper, and another a centurion, like Cornelius; another in ill health, like Timothy, and another a runaway, like Onesimus; but nothing proved an hindrance to any of these, but all shone with virtue, both men and women, young and old, slaves and free, soldiers and civilians.”³⁵

General call to sanctity

For those who knew how to read the Gospel, how clear to them was that general call to holiness within their profession and without leaving their own environment! Nevertheless, for centuries the majority of Christians failed to understand this. The ascetical phenomenon of many people seeking sanctity without changing their professional situation but rather sanctifying their profession and sanctifying themselves by means of their profession was not to be found. And so, because it was not lived, the doctrine was very soon forgotten, and theological reflection was absorbed by the study of other ascetical phenomena which reflected other aspects of the Gospel.