The Most Important Thing

Fr. Chris Wittmann, SM
We are thankful that so many friends were able to join us on the evening of August 3rd to commission the newest cohort of Marianist PULSE volunteers—#MP3. For those not able to be with us that night, the Spectacle of Saints blog is thrilled to be able to share with you Father Chris Wittmann's special homily from that evening. The readings used at the Commissioning Mass were: Isaiah 32:15-18; Psalm 122; and Matthew 5:1-12.

Well, Julia, Abby, Pono, Alex, Dominique, Charlene, Anna and Peter: Fr. Ted is out of town celebrating his Jubilee, and Fr. Bob is in town, but still jet lagged is probably speaking Italian, so I’m sorry that you got stuck with a third-string presider! 

This year is going to be special, we pray. With God’s grace and mercy, you will be changed by this year; changed for the better, according to the love of God, the good news of the Gospel, and mission of Mary and the charism of the Marianist Family. These are our hopes and prayers for you.

Everyone here knows, and everyone here is grateful for the fact that you will be engaged, in various ways, in the work of social justice, the work of  building peace, the work of supporting the dignity of every person and the integrity of creation – all gifts of God to us. And to be sure, these engagements will challenge you and probably change you. They will open your eyes and your hearts in new ways. They will educate you in the practical wisdom of what it means to work with others, across differences, to build communities for the common good. What it means to organize society so that it is easier for weak human beings to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with our God. You will grow in an appreciation of the obstacles that are in the way of those who live on the margins, and you might become more willing to live on the margins yourselves – as Jesus did.

I hardly need to tell you these things. You know them.

But there will be lots of surprises this year also, perhaps beginning with this homily!  Because I am here to tell you that all of the above –all of the good work for justice and peace; all of the service you will do for your fellow human beings – all of this is not the most important thing that will happen to you this year. At least we hope it is not.

No matter how much good you do, no matter how many friends you make, no matter how many lives you touch for the good, there is one thing that is more important. Mary of Bethany, friend of Jesus and sister of Martha the busy homeworker, chose it. And when she did, Jesus called it “the better part, that shall not be taken away from her.” The most important thing that can happen to you this year is that you grow closer to Jesus, your brother, your Savior. The most important thing that will happen to you – if you let it;— if you are open to it—is that you will grow in holiness—that you will grow closer to God.


Work for social justice and service to those on the margins, without a deep faith in God, without opening oneself daily to the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, is simply a recipe for burnout; for political exhaustion, disgust and discouragement. Remember that Fr. Chaminade said that when I feel discouraged, I am trusting in myself too much, and trusting in God too little. 

Notice in the first reading that righteousness and justice come not from what we do, but from what God does in us, through us, and for us.  “In those days, the spirit from on high will be poured out on us. Then will the desert become an orchard and the orchard be regarded as a forest. Right will dwell in the desert and justice abide in the orchard. Justice will bring about peace; right will produce calm and security. My people will live in peaceful country, in secure dwellings and quiet resting places.”

If you don’t grow in holiness this year, all is not lost. It is never too late to grow closer to God in love. But deepening your relationship with God this year will mean more to your overall life and the life of those around you than any other good experience. As someone once said, “The only thing that has ever really changed the world is holiness.” 

Pope Francis’ latest apostolic exhortation that came out this past March is called Gaudete et Exsultate, which means “Rejoice and be Glad,” which is a quotation from our gospel today. It is subtitled: “On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World.” It is long (Pope Francis wrote it!) but it is very worth the read. I started reading it on retreat a couple of weeks ago, and am not quite finished, but it is really something to savor. 

He talks about the call to holiness in ordinary life, not just in the lives of saints who are on some unattainable, angelic pedestal. People like you and me who have messy, imperfect lives, yet who try to let everything be open to God. Here are some things Pope Francis says about ordinary holiness: “Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none of your energy, vitality, or joy. On the contrary, you will become what the Father had in mind when he created you, and you will be faithful to your deepest self. To depend on God sets us free from every form of enslavement.” 

“Holiness … is an encounter between your weakness and the power of God’s grace. For in the words of Leon Bloy, when all is said and done, “the only great tragedy in life is not to become a saint.”

Where do we start? Believe it or not, Pope Francis says we start with the word of Jesus, in particular the Beatitudes, today’s Gospel reading.  After a discussion of each, he rephrases them at the end of each section:


“Being poor of heart: that is holiness.
“Reacting with meekness and humility: that is holiness.
“Knowing how to mourn with others: that is holiness.
“Hungering and thirsting for righteousness: that is holiness.
“Seeing and acting with mercy: that is holiness.
“Keeping a heart free of all that tarnishes love: that is holiness.
“Sowing peace all around us: that is holiness.
“Accepting daily the path of the Gospel, even though it may cause us problems: that is holiness.”

Now don’t think, dear PULSERs and everyone else, that the path to holiness is separate from the work of social justice and service to others. They are the same path, if you are open to the Spirit. Pope Francis next talks about the great Criterion of Matthew: “When I was hungry you gave me to eat, when I was thirsty you gave me to drink… whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do unto me.” He says that those “who truly long to grow in holiness are called to be single-minded and tenacious in their practice of the works of mercy.“ And those who grow in holiness rejoice with Mary in her Magnificat, singing the praises of God, because “we are infinitely loved.” (I am reminded that a number of years ago Sr. Laura Leming, FMI, said that Pope Francis is secretly a Marianist. He certainly invokes the joy of Mary’s Magnificat like a Marianist. I don’t think any other pope has talked about joy like Pope Francis.)

Finally, Peter, Anna, Charlene, Dominique, Alex, Pono, Abby and Julia, do not think for a minute that your community life will not be part of your journey to holiness. Sharing faith, life and mission in community is the path to holiness for Marianists. As you bump into each other in community, sometimes lifting each other up and sometimes driving each other crazy, you will be knocking the rough edges of your personalities off of each other. But you might also just be helping the Holy Spirit to rub some holiness into each other. (Holiness isn’t always sweet and pleasant, sometimes it comes from struggle and feels like a rough encounter.) Living with one another with patience, honesty, generosity and gentleness, free from harsh judgment and willing to forgive – that is a very real path to holiness. It can only be done with God’s help.


So stay close to Jesus. Invite God into every situation in your lives. Ask Mary, the mother of Jesus, to pray for you, to keep you close to her Son, and let her shape your life as she shaped His life, that you may become more like Christ. Do the good work that you have been called to, and do it with eagerness. Allow the Holy Spirit’s power into your weakness when difficulties and struggles and sufferings come. Seek ordinary holiness like this, and you will discover the joy of knowing that you are infinitely loved by the God whose Love is the very meaning of your life, and the reason for all that is. 

Father Chris Wittmann, SM
8/3/2018

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