We continue reading through Gaudete et Exsultate:
"To be holy does not require a bishop, a priest or a religious. We are frequently tempted to think that holiness is only for those who can withdraw from ordinary affairs to spend much time in prayer. That is not the case. We are called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves" (n. 14).
"Let the grace of your baptism bear fruit in a path of holiness. Let everything be open to God; turn to him in every situation. Do not be dismayed, for the power of the Holy Spirit enables you to do this, and holiness, in the end, is the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life (cf. Gal 5:22-23)" (n. 15).
"This holiness to which the Lord calls you will grow through small gestures. Here is an example: a woman goes shopping, she meets a neighbor and they begin to speak, and the gossip starts. But she says in her heart: 'No, I will not speak badly of anyone.' This is a step forward in holiness. Later, at home, one of her children wants to talk to her about his hopes and dreams, and even though she is tired, she sits down and listens with patience and love. That is another sacrifice that brings holiness" (n. 16).
"At times, life presents great challenges. Through them, the Lord calls us anew to conversion that can make his grace more evident in our lives. . . . At other times, we need only find a more perfect way of doing what we are already doing. . . . [Quoting Cardinal Francois-Xavier Nguyen van Thuan]: "I will seize the occasions that present themselves every day; I will accomplish ordinary actions in an extraordinary way'" (n. 17).
"I this way, led by God's grace, we shape by many gestures the holiness God has willed for us, not as men and women sufficient unto ourselves but rather 'as good stewards of the manifold grace of God'" (n. 18).
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