Some of the most important questions in life are: "Will I grow in holiness, go to heaven, and see Jesus face to face?" (see 1 Jn 3:2) "Will I be at the everlasting family reunion in heaven?" "How do I become holy and go to heaven with all the holy ones?"

The Church teaches that we become holy by living the Beatitudes. This comes as quite a shock because it is humanly impossible to live the Beatitudes. However, the Holy Spirit will show us how to do the impossible. The Holy Spirit has taught us through Pope John Paul II that to live the Beatitudes we must make a sincere reappraisal of our lifestyle with a view to living more austerely and in solidarity with the poor of the world (Mission of the Redeemer, 59-60). Pope John Paul II taught: "In a word, we can say that the cultural change which we are calling for demands from everyone the courage to adopt a new lifestyle, consisting in making practical choices — at the personal, social, and international level" (The Gospel of Life, 98).

The Pope also taught and prophesied in the Holy Spirit that we can begin to reappraise our lifestyle and adopt a new one by praying and fasting (The Gospel of Life, 100). Through the Pope, the Holy Spirit has given us a detailed process by which we can accept God's grace to live the Beatitudes, grow in holiness, and enter the presence of the all-holy God forever.

Rescript:  †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Bishop-Elect, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 26, 2011 (for 10-1-2011 through 11-29-2011) and May 26, 2011 (for 11-30-2011)

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