The Lord offers "true life, the happiness for which we were created", not to isolated individuals, but to the whole People, because "We are never completely ourselves unless we belong to a People" (R n° 6). At its core, holiness "consists in uniting ourselves to the Lord’s death and resurrection in a unique and personal way, constantly dying and rising anew with him", and "reproducing in our own lives various aspects of Jesus’ earthly life: his hidden life, his life in community, his closeness to the outcast, his poverty and other ways in which he showed his self-sacrificing love"   (R n° 20). Therefore, the contribution of  “genius of woman” is essential and it is interesting, underlines the Pope, that just "in times when women tended to be most ignored or overlooked," their attractiveness produced new spiritual vigor and important reforms in the Church". Francis mentions Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Saint Bridget, Saint Catherine of Siena, Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (R n° 6).

Going deeper in his topic, the Pope states that no one can understand "Christ apart from the kingdom he came to bring, so too your personal mission is inseparable from the building of that kingdom". Holiness, therefore, "involves a commitment to build with him that kingdom of love, justice and universal peace" (R n° 25), because “life does not have a mission, but is a mission” (R n° 27). The most beautiful example is Josephine Bakhita, "abducted and sold into slavery at the tender age of seven", she understood "the profound truth that God, and not man, is the true Master of every human being, of every human life" (R n° 32).

Two temptations are interposed on the path of holiness and commitment to Justice and Peace, Gnosticism and Pelagianism. The first is "the temptation to turn the Christian experience into a set of intellectual exercises that distance us from the freshness of the Gospel" (R n° 46), the second is the temptation to "trust only in one's powers", feeling superior to others, thinking "that all things are possible by the human will, as if it were something pure, perfect, all-powerful" (R n° 49). In the opposite way, we need "to acknowledge jubilantly that our life is essentially a gift, and recognize that our freedom is a given grace. This is not easy today, in a world that thinks it can keep something for itself, the fruits of its own creativity or freedom" (R n° 55). There are still now some Christians who pursue "an obsession with the law, an absorption with social and political advantages, a punctilious concern for the Church’s liturgy, doctrine and prestige, a vanity about the ability to manage practical matters, and an excessive concern with programs of self-help and personal fulfillment" (R n° 57). Jesus. however, showed the path "that gives us two faces, or better yet, one only: the face of God reflected in so many other. For in every one of our brothers and sisters, especially the least, the most vulnerable, the defenseless and those in need, God’s very image is found" (GE n° 61). In reality, holiness is then the search for the Kingdom and commitment to Justice and Peace.

"There can be any number of theories about what constitutes holiness", continues the Pope, but why not "turning to Jesus’ words and seeing his way of teaching the truth"? Jesus explained "what it means to be holy when he gave us the Beatitudes," a Christian’s identity card (R n° 63).

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. The rich feel secure in their wealth, and think that, if that wealth is threatened, the whole meaning of their earthly life can collapse. Wealth ensures nothing. The opposite! Luke does not speak of poverty of spirit  but simply of those who are poor. He invites us to live a plain and austere life so to share in the life of those most in need, the life lived by the Apostles and Jesus "who, though rich, made himself poor”. "Being poor of heart: that is holiness" (R n° 67-70).

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Ours is a world of conflict, disputes and enmity on all sides, where we constantly pigeonhole others on the basis of their ideas, their customs and even their way of speaking or dressing. It is the reign of pride and vanity, where each person thinks he or she has the right to dominate others. Jesus calls us to learn from him, for he is "gentle and humble of heart", and also to find rest for our souls. If we are constantly upset and impatient, we will end up drained and weary. Let us regard the faults and limitations with tenderness and meekness, without an air of superiority, and stop wasting our energy on useless complaining. Let's defend our faith mildly and with kindness. Meekness is yet another expression of the interior poverty. The meek “shall inherit the earth”, for they will see God’s promises accomplished in their lives. "Reacting with meekness and humility: that is holiness." (R n° 71-74).

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”. The world proposes entertainment, pleasure, diversion and escape to keep in with the good life. The world has no desire to mourn; it would rather disregard painful situations, cover them up or hide them. Instead, a person who sees things as they truly are and sympathizes with pain and sorrow is capable of touching life’s depths and finding authentic happiness. Such persons are unafraid to share in the suffering of others; they do not flee from painful situations. They discover the meaning of life by coming to the aid of those who suffer, understanding their anguish and bringing relief. "Knowing how to mourn with others: that is holiness." (R n° 75-76).

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled”. There are those who desire justice and yearn for righteousness with similar intensity. They will be satisfied, for sooner or later justice will come. Not the justice that the world gives, often mired in corruption, ensnared in the daily politics of quid pro quo, where everything becomes business. How many people suffer injustice, standing by powerlessly, while others give up fighting for real justice and opt to follow in the train of the winners. This has nothing to do with the hunger and thirst for justice that Jesus praises. True justice comes about in people’s lives when they themselves are just in their decisions; it is expressed in their pursuit of justice for the poor and the weak. "Hungering and thirsting for righteousness: that is holiness" (R n° 77-79).

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy”. Mercy has two aspects. It involves giving, helping and serving others, but it also includes forgiveness and understanding. “In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you” (Matthew). Giving and forgiving means reproducing in our lives some small measure of God’s perfection, which gives and forgives superabundantly. For this reason, Luke does not say, “Be perfect”, but rather, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.” Let us give heed and we would often listen the reproach: “Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” Seeing and acting with mercy: that is holiness.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”. Those whose hearts are simple, pure and undefiled, have a heart capable of love admit nothing that might harm, weaken or endanger that love. “Man sees the appearance, but the Lord looks into the heart”. Certainly there can be no love without works of love, but the Lord expects a commitment that comes from the heart, for “if I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have no love, I gain nothing”. From the heart proceeds the desires and decisions that move us forwards. When a heart loves God and neighbor, genuinely and not merely in words, is a pure heart; it can see God. "Keeping a heart free of all that tarnishes love: that is holiness" (R n° 83-86).

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God”. Peacemakers truly “make” peace; they build peace and friendship in society. Jesus makes this promise: “They will be called children of God”. God exhorts to work for peace, “along with all who call upon the Lord with a pure heart”, for “the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace”. This peace excludes no one but embraces even those who are a bit odd, troublesome or difficult, demanding, different, beaten down by life or simply uninterested. It is hard work; it calls for great openness of mind and heart, since it is not about creating “a consensus on paper or a transient peace for a contented minority”, or a project “by a few for the few”. Instead, it “faces conflict head on, resolves it and makes it a link in the chain of a new process”. To be artisans of peace, for building peace, is a craft that demands serenity, creativity, sensitivity and skill. "Sowing peace all around us: that is holiness." (R n° 87-89).

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”.

The path of the Gospel goes against the flow, even making us challenge society by the way we live and, as a result, becoming a nuisance. How many people have been, and still are, persecuted simply because they struggle for justice. The thirst for power and worldly interests often stands against justice. In an alienated society, trapped in its social organization, politics, mass communications and economic, cultural and even religious institutions that entangle any authentic human and social development, living the Beatitudes becomes difficult and can be viewed negatively, regarded with suspicion, and met with ridicule. Persecution become thus inevitable. Persecutions are not a reality of the past, for today too we experience them, whether by the shedding of blood, as is the case with so many contemporary martyrs, or by more subtle means, by slander and lies. "Accepting daily the path of the Gospel, even though it may cause us problems: that is holiness." (GE n° 90-94). Go on reading the entire text of the Pope