A saint’s legacy

We just celebrated recently the feast of Opus Dei founder, St. Josemaria Escriva (1902-1975). The occasion, of course, brought me reflecting again on his life and teaching.

There is no doubt that St. Josemaria left a great impact on the lives of many people, as well as on the world and on the Church herself. He blazed a trail that opened the eyes of many regarding the inner meaning of our life here on earth.

Receiving a special divine calling, to which he corresponded with utmost generosity, St. Josemaria started and kept on preaching, in spite of its unpopularity at that time and even up to now, that sanctity is for everyone.

He made everyone understand that holiness is not meant only for men and women of the cloth, who often have to separate themselves from the world to seek, love and serve God.

No. Holiness is for all, and can be achieved and developed precisely where one is in the world—be it at home, in the office, in the farms, in the theaters, or in business and politics.

He also clarified that this holiness is not a second-rate kind of holiness. It’s the same holiness that the saints, whose images now stand on the altars, have. It’s the same holiness whose essence is nothing less than God’s grace and love.

He also insisted that together with the duty to seek holiness is the unavoidable task to do apostolate. These two cannot and should not be separated. One without the other would be a fake thing that has to be shot down on sight.

The good thing about St. Josemaria is that for this very lofty idea of our purpose in life, he carved out a finely defined spirituality, attuned to the conditions of men and women who have to find and love Christ and others in the middle of the world.

His was not just words and ideas, full of promises, but lacking the appropriate concrete means. This has been the bane of many spiritual leaders. They can be good in theories, but fail miserably in the practice.

Or, that sanctity is often pictured as outside of the world’s possibilities. St. Josemaria, on the other hand, found the way where the two, heaven and earth, the spiritual and the material, can harmonize here and now.

With his way, he shows a solution to the perennial problem met by many faithful through the ages who wish to be consistent with their deepest dignity as children of God while immersed in the world. A genuine unity of life can be attained here.

It’s a way that is open to all the possibilities in life. It’s not just a theory that works under controlled conditions. It’s a breathing reality that has to be lived in real time, not in virtual or any kind of time.

That’s why it’s a way that necessarily requires God’s grace and a continuing ascetical struggle. It also has its infra- and superstructure, so to speak. It cannot be any other way.

I remember reading from St. Josemaria that following the spirit of Opus Dei is not about going to Thabor, but rather going to Calvary. Sacrifices are an essential ingredient in its recipe for holiness.

This is one of the hard parts of St. Josemaria’s teaching. It led to many misinterpretations and misunderstandings. That’s why the saint also had his share of being a figure of contradiction.

Although he did not mince words to describe the sacrifices needed to become a saint in the middle of the world, neither was he sparing in reassuring us of the possibility of becoming a truly holy person.

Reasons for optimism abound. We are all children of a loving and forgiving father. His providence is constant and immediate, even if he uses instruments and intermediaries. He loves us the way he loves his own self. Etc. etc.

In the end, one realizes that in spite of all the doctrine, the support and other means to effectively pursue holiness and carry out apostolate, it’s God’s grace that would enable us to understand and follow St. Josemaria’s way.

As our Lord said, “Let those who have ears to hear, let them hear.”

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