According to teaching of John Paul II looking at a reality of suffering in the perspective of a redemptive work of Jesus Christ is a vital moment which points at an essential correctness in presenting a sense of suffering. This is why it is around this view on the mystery of suffering a merit-related assessment of Polish preaching on the subject should be concentrated. Redemptive events are the basis for understanding a value of suffering which often touch human existence in a painful way.
Thought of John Paul II is harmonious with homilies which try to explain the sense of suffering in the light of the mystery of redemption. A very positive element on preaching is showing a reality of suffering in the light of Christ’s victory that was won in resurrection.
Among negative tendencies visible in the analysed homilies one should mention the fact that some preachers, looking for a sense of suffering in the light of faith, refer to the light that comes from the redemptive events only in a limited way, or show the value and meaning of the cross without their link to a soteriology. A serious weakness of many homilies is underlying the mystery of passion of Christ without its natural connection to the mystery of His resurrection. A certain group of authors cannot see a relation between the truth of a redemptive suffering and the truth of a primeval love of God for men.

God speaks to a man and at the same time speaks to him through the other person. We are, therefore, within the realm of interpersonal relations. Hence while talking about preaching the Word of God one has to pay attention to circumstances and rules of interaction of the preached Word of God on a listener’s reason, will and emotions as major receptors of the content of the church preaching and at the same time as factors of the act of a personal faith. Such a preaching of the Word of God results from its purpose, securing both the personalistic and ecclesiastical character of the preaching. Therefore in the preaching of the Word of God a vital role is performed by a social community. Experience shows that even a solid intellectual and religious formation does not suffice for a proper shaping of the attitude of faith, if one does not have a proper support in an environment of one’s life. Hence the preaching cannot escape sociological conditions and be restricted only to transmitting an orthodox Christian teaching. Preaching the Gospel in the community of the faithful should be supported and intensified by a communal experience of this church community of faith.

Prophet of the Highest, Christ`s witness, competent word of God servant – these terms are used to define the preacher in literature. However, homily is understood as the word of God inside preacher`s humane word. From the theological point of view it is the result of specific but also individual preacher`s composition. In present essay, after introduction theological basis of preacher`s mission, homily issues were discussed as the result of creative work and also selected legal aspects related to the homily authorship were mentioned.

Human is „moral being” regardless of conditions and the times in which he lives. It results from the fact, that human is a person, it means that he is spiritual-corporeal being, someone who is rational and independent. Despite the fact that the man is exposed to McDonaldization, subjected to numerous crises, it should be noted that he is still religious being and occurred processes did not deprive him of religious sense. Human is still sensitive to religious questions, even though he looks very often for answer outside Christianity, which is old – fashioned in media. It is essential challenge not only for preaching but also for whole Christian formation.
A long time ago, Maurice Blondel said, that: „the times are the same like people are”. As it is known people are either moral good or moral bad. Tertium non datur. This also applies to human morality, which today is sometimes labeled as homo supermercatus. An important challenge is consumerist life style of many people, who live most of the time without awareness of development of appropriate hierarchy of values and necessary spiritual needs. These people usually satisfy their material needs without thinking of human dignity and their Christian vocation.
Homo consumens – is a person, who is suspended between gift and commodity. Detailed sociological and psychological analysis give us a lot of arguments about the behavior of present – day human. This man seems to have many features, which indicate that, „he desires to have more”, instead of „to be a human more and more”. Today, principle is known: I consume, therefore I am.
Strong influence of ethical utilitarianism on daily culture of life was noticed long ago. For example – in the book The New Economic Gospel of Consumption, written by E. Cowdrick in 1927, we can find interesting opinion, that we live in times, when people are forced to regular consume of goods and services. It also impinges on assessment of current homiletic thinking.
Author emphasizes, using criteria from ethic of J. Woroniecki, that the human always was and is just jealous, mistrustful, suspicious and first and foremost selfish and very greedy. It causes, that he is a person of many crises, which can be solved effectively by homiletic teaching.
Analyzing behavior, attitudes and basic sources of numerous crisis (identity crisis, family crisis, political crisis, educational crisis etc.) of consumerist human, author develop thought of Marciano Vidal, that this person is a man of „lost ethical home”.
Under the pulpit and before the alter – we do not have today – saying colloquially – „empty people” and „neuter people”. We have deeply hurt people in their humanity. Moreover we have people with many difficulties in faith. There are difficulties arising from human life experience and civilization’s difficulties. It turns out that only Christianity, with its integrity of salvation, is able to help such people effectively. 

Bible and liturgy as sacred texts are basic, although not the only ones, sources of homilies. These sources should be analysed as closely related with one another. Homily, mystagogic in its nature and function, is preaching the mystery of Christ revealed in the Holy Scripture and celebrated in the liturgy. For in „here and now” of the liturgy redemptive events revealed in the Bible are being actualised. To a considerable extent the Bible was written for liturgical purposes. Therefore liturgy is the major exegetic place of the Holy Scripture. A preacher interpreting holy texts should be aware of this mutual intertwining of the Bible and liturgy. Liturgical hermeneutics of the Word of God takes into consideration both a sense and functions of biblical texts within liturgy. To achieve this aim the content of the Bible is compared to the meaning of other biblical texts, euchological texts as well as the meaning of signs and liturgical symbols. The Word of God in liturgy, however, is interpreted above all in the light of the mystery of Christ celebrated in the cult. The redemptive mystery itself receives, on the other hand, deeper light and understanding from the proclaimed Word of God. Hermeneutical technique analyses as well the way biblical texts are distributed within a liturgical year. Attention is drawn on this occasion to the rules of interpretation of the Word of God in liturgy, which are as follows: chrystocentrism, dynamics of acts of the Holy Spirit, ecclesiality, particular needs of listeners.

Autor wskazuje w swym artykule na potrójny kontekst, w jakim dokonuje się wygłaszanie kazań, na jaki w związku z tym należy zwracać uwagę. Istotną rolę odgrywa bowiem w procesie kaznodziejskiego przepowiadania środowisko społeczno-eklezjalne oraz medialne, ważną funkcję spełniają cechy osobowościowe kaznodziei, równie istotna jest postawa słuchaczy, do których przepowiadane słowo jest skierowane. Wśród zagadnień mających wpływ na środowisko autor omawia opinie zdobywane na drodze diagnozowania dziedzictwa kultury, oddziaływanie mass-mediów na język, a także wewnątrzkościelne aspekty. Kaznodzieja powinien wg autora powyższego opracowania odznaczać się następującymi kompetencjami: powinien być zdolny do tematycznego podejścia do zagadnień życiowych, powinien sobie radzić z kwestiami metodycznymi, powinien pałać bogactwem cech osobowych, jak też umiejętnie podchodzić do spraw instytucjonalnych. Każdy z kaznodziejów, który oznacza się wymienionymi wyżej kompetencjami, będzie w stanie uporać się z pokusą błyszczenia aktywizmem, idealizowania wielu spraw oraz uciekania się do metod posługujących się strachem.

Phenomenon of a stage freight – no matter how we define it – is a common problem also experienced by preachers. Specific features of preachers’ stage freight is related to its theological connotations. Its source, most of all, is an awareness of the duty to preach the Gospel and priestly responsibility for the Word of God mixed with anxiety of being unworthy of the mission bestowed upon them and an ordinary human fear of failure and embarrassment. Since the sources of preachers’ stage freight are of a theological character, it is also mainly a supernatural level on which it should be dealt with - through prayer, development of a preacher’s spiritual life, openness to the Holy Spirit as well as a constant care of a proper, preliminary and final, preparation for preaching. When it comes to an anthropological dimension it is important for a preacher to develop an internal balance between an emotional tension and a thoughtful assessment of one’s abilities – through affecting a psychic and somatic sphere by an autosuggestion and relaxation techniques. Nevertheless a preacher should remember that a moderate stage freight is almost a necessary phenomenon, since an optimal level of a psychic tension (for a specific person) is good for one’s readiness. After all, what kind of a preacher it would be, if he lacked passion and involvement while preaching!

Accompanying a terminally ill patient by celebrating Mass at home for him/her and his/her family gives a perfect opportunity to intensify one’s faith and to reflect on the importance of faith in life. It is also a chance to reconcile with God and the people as well as to accept sufferings and to offer them to God as a sacrifice for one’s own redemption, redemption of the family members, the Holy Church and all the people. The day’s readingcan be a good inspiration for homilies during Mass since they help to get a better understanding of the mystery of the Passion of Christ and Resurrection of Christ. The Eucharist which is the meeting with Christ enables the terminally ill patient to comprehend better the meaning of his/her life, suffering and death; thus he/she is well ‘equipped’ to bear the sufferings and to live the last moments of life in unity with God, being His witness at the same time. The family members of the terminally ill patient benefit from taking part in Mass as well because their faith becomes more intense and mature, the family bonds get stronger and so they are able to help their terminally ill next of kin to pass away to eternity. The work and assistance of doctors, nurses and volunteers who work in hospices is also of great importance because they take very good care of the terminally ill patients and their families. Homilies which were given by the writer of this paper during Masses celebrated at home for the terminally ill patients have been presented in this study. They covered the period of time starting from Ascension Day till the Day of Nativity of John Baptist – on Sundays, on days of special celebrations and church holidays. 

The Gospel is portraying truths in many decimal places of the spot height of the recited work. There are returns addressed to listeners, in the second person of the plural. Contents gnostic of work: incentives and cautions without gnostic show the mythology to initiation character of the homily.

The famous „les Confèrences de Notre-Dame” also known as „les Confèrences de Carême” are still very important for the religious life in France. They are addressed to the intelligence and delivered on all Sundays of the Lent in the Notre-Dame in Paris. The beginning was initiated by Henri Dominique Lacordaire (1802–1861), one of the greatest French preachers. The article presents the beginning of the work and analyses the first conference given by Lacordaire on 8 March 1835. The first full Polish translation of the conference is attached to the article because only fragmentary translations of the conference have been known before.

Analysis of both biblical and liturgical texts leads to a conclusion that silence and quietness are a direct context of revelation of the Word of God, both in the HolyScripture and liturgy. Through silence and  quietness God prepares a man for listening and contemplation of the Word of God and the best example of this situation is Mary. Gospel is born in silence of Nazareth, Bethlehem and Golgotha. It is silence and quietness that enwraps Resurrection. Silence and quietness are a part of Gospel and therefore are also a part of preaching. Jesus’ silence in his death on the cross and in his resurrection confirms in a mysterious way Christ’s silence in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist. Silent presence of God receives now a new sacramental meaning which is exhibited in liturgy. We can enumerate four functions of silence in liturgy: reflexive (providing awareness), meditative, interiorising (inward-directed) and adorative. In preaching these are mainly reflexive and meditative functions that play an important role.
Silence and quietness in preaching are signs of a liturgical communication between God and man. In this pattern a vital role is performed by a celebrant and a preacher who introduces, interprets and co-creates „moments of silence” in the Holy Spirit. Silence is a condition of a man’s openness to listening to the Word of God and his silence is a response to the received Word. This liturgical silence is a dimension for the actions of the Holy Spirit, also during reading of the Word of God. A preacher can create „moments of silence” through usage of a logical and psychological pause, rhetorical questions or a prayerful ending of a sermon that does not necessarily have to end with the word „amen” but “a moment of silence” in the Holy Spirit.

Presentation of the issue: In this study the author takes the view, that the role of dogmatic theology is to be a kind of link between the revealed and absorbed in faith the word of God (exegesis), and its proclamation, taking into account the diverse cultural, social or anthropological conditions (homiletics).
Background: The Bible as the word of God and the first and most perfect testimony of His Revelation is and will remain the highest instance in the community of Church (norma normans non normata).
Results: Every dogma expresses only a particular, defined part of the whole of the Christian faith and can be fully understood only by looking at the entirely Christian and biblical kerygma, at the other truths of the Deposit of Faith and by getting the right proportions between them (the hierarchy of truths).
Conclusions: The task of every homilist and preacher is continuous exploration of revealed truths, which are expressed in the dogmatic formulae of the Church, in connection with a critical reflection on the workshop and the ways to communicate these contents to the people of God.

The songs related to the proclamation of the word of God belong to the oldest ones in the Polish language and form a group of so-called „sermon songs”. They were helpful in the active participation in the liturgy of the Eucharist when it was celebrated in Latin. Especially in the XIX and XX centuries, the tradition of their performance, in and out of the liturgy, was very alive also in Silesia. The old Polish sources of Church songs show an extensive collection of songs intended to be sung before and after a sermon. In the actual repertory of Church songs there are more than a dozen of them. Regarding the theological content of these songs sung before the sermon are the beseeching prayers for the light of the Holy Spirit and God’s wisdom for the preacher and listeners. When they are sung after the sermon, they are a begging for God’s help for the fulfillment of the teaching. Nowadays, the importance of these songs is decreasing and this process is related to the Second Vatican Council’s liturgical reform which underlines the function of the homily and the continuity of the Liturgy of the Word. However, in these circumstances it seems to be still possible to maintain the tradition of singing and imploring the grace of the Holy Spirit.

How a picture of Mary painted by words of a preacher should look like to be theologically correct? Answering this question the author suggests that the picture should be correct in the following contexts: 1) source-wise – taking into consideration basic sources of teaching on Mother of God: Holy Scripture, Tradition of the Church, liturgy, documents of Magisterium Ecclesiae, 2) methodologically-wise – taking into consideration the following issued postulated in the contemporary mariology: showing Mary in correlations to the Persons of the Holy Trinity, the Church and men, where learning about one of the correlates contributes to a deeper understanding of the others, presenting marian content in the context of other theological and humanistic sciences, avoiding maximalism (attributing Mary with prerogatives of Christ, Holy Spirit and the Church) as well as minimalism (diminishing the role of Mary in the history of redemption, undermining the marian dogmas), 3) content-wise – taking into consideration a hierarchy of truths in preaching marian content, hence a proposition: more appreciation for the mystery of the Divine Motherhood, showing a sense of preaching about Mary due to her participation in the Mystery of the Son, underlining close relation of her life with the history of salvation, depicting the Holy Mother as an example to follow. 

The author of the article deals with the issue of a relation of the Church’s ministry of the Word and abruptly developing mass media. His starting point is a positive impact of media on preaching, especially with respect to immense widening of the scope of its influence. The author encourages readers to use mass media in a broadly understood evangelisation. On the other hand he draws readers’ attention to a potential negative impact of mass media on preaching. Influence of mass media may reduce an awareness of divine dimension of preaching, contribute to vanishing of theological understanding of functions of preachers of the Word, adjusting the preached truth to media standards, domination of a picture over a word. Also, the author recognises a need of enhancing traditional aims of preaching by new ones, such as developing reflection skills, showing a difference between a real and virtual world, warning against ethical relativism, defying consumerism, increasing awareness of other people’s needs. 

Christocentrism is a viewpoint or an attitude according to which Jesus Christ is the central point of the whole reality of the thoughtful world and most of all a man. The need to apply christocentrism in the preaching ministry is underlined by the teaching of the Church, especially after Vaticanum II. Also a contemporary homiletics theory states that the whole preaching should be christocentric since God revealed himself in the fullest way in Jesus Christ and it is in Him where the salvation of the world and man takes place. The question is, however, whether the practice follows the guidelines? The aim of this study is an attempt to answer the following question: to what extent contemporary preachers apply the rule of christocentricism and in what way it is manifested in their practice? From the conducted analyses it can be seen that chrystology-oriented issues are common ones in preaching. Priests talk about issues of divinity and humanity of Christ very often. The same applies to mysteries of His life and actions within the Church. In most cases they are faithful to the Church’s guidelines to place Christ in the centre of each preaching. This positive assessment of the contemporary preaching requires, however, a few words of comment concerning certain deficiencies. The most common mistakes in christocentric preaching are as follows: historicism, inadequate proportions between a redemptive indicative and a moral imperative as well as a disturbed rules of a hierarchy of the articles of faith in preaching.

Autor wskazuje na ogromne znaczenie charakteru i uzdolnień konkretnego kaznodziei w dziele przepowiadania słowa Bożego. Kazanie zanurzone jest w aurze trójjedności, tzn. charakteryzuje się trzema następującymi wymiarami: homiletycznym, retorycznym i duchowym. Ten ostatni sprawia, że każde kazanie związane jest nierozłącznie z modlitwą. W treści zaś i w strukturze modlitwy ukryta jest zaskakująca nieraz retoryka, a konkretnie retoryka perswazji, na co wskazuje fakt, że wypowiadając tekst modlitwy pragniemy Boga niejako przekonać do tego, o co się modlimy. Oratio jest więc modlitwą podobną do wypowiedzi retorycznej.

The postmodernistic culture rejects all objective values and established laying down structures and out lines, proposing instead the radical pluralism relating the forms of knowledge, ways of thinking and life as well as the paragon of behaviour – which in consequence caused the axiological vacuum being suitable ground for invasion of sects and various pseudoreligions, as well as for spreading the death culture. The pseudoreligions negate all fundamental truths of Christian faith and promise an easy salvation. To fight of faith it is necessary to undertake the effort of new evangelization. Among many tasks one should first of all to proclaim by all the accessible means the faith truth attacked by postmodernism and pseudoreligions and develop the small church communities. It is the task of the whole Church, the clergymen and the laity.

Abraham is the link figure throughout these narratives, but in several of the individual stories he is in the background, with the main focus being on another, whether Sarah, Hagar, Lot, Lot’s wife and daughters, Abraham’s servant or Rebekah. These narratives leave the reader in no doubt about the key part played by women in Israel’s early history. The writer is certainly aware of women’s interests and concerns and seems to be making a conscious effort to make sure that these interests and concerns are brought out within the text. There are a number of occasions where the account, although not always the characters it portrays, indicates an understanding of and attitude toward women that does not reflect the worldview of the society depicted. Sarai is introduced alongside Abram in Genesis 11, and although God’s call and God’s promises are described as coming to Abram, it is clear that Sarai was with him from the beginning to the end.

John Paul is rightly considered to have been the pope, who contributed with his teaching to the reconciliation between the Catholic Church and Jews. His visits in the Roman Great Synagogue, in the Yad Vashem Institute of Martyrs and Heroes, as well as the prayer at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, earned their permanent place in the process of rapprochement of all Catholics and followers of Judaism. However, it must not be forgotten that, as it happens in any interreligious and ecumenical dialogue, so in the relations between the Catholic Church and Jews, sometimes certain controversies occurred. In the eighties ofthe XX century the causes of misunderstandings were the Vatican visits of Yasser  Arafat, the Palestinian leader, and of Kurt Waldheim, the Austrian president, which brought the mutual relations to a halt for a certain period. Neither did the definitely anti-Semitic statements of Syrian political and religious leaders escape the attention of Jews during John Paul’s pilgrimage to Syria. Yet the pope’s kind, patient and dialogue-oriented attitude finally brought about the rapprochement between Syrians and Israelis. The reconciliation between the presidents of Syria and Israel, which took place at the funeral celebrations of John Paul II, was the most expressive token of that rapprochement.

At every Eucharist the Church explains the revealed truths to the confessors. For this purpose it uses the ministers of the sacred mysteries. The content that is explained is, primarily, the true Word of God, because this is what constitutes one of the main sources of the Church doctrine. The second source is the Tradition. We owe liturgical prayers to it. Their present form is very different from the one which they had during the time of creation.
The extraordinary cultural enrichment of the Church is based on activities aimed at reaching the sources from which there were derived the prayers used during the celebration. These actions aim to acquire knowledge of various ways of celebrating the same mystery that Christ commanded to celebrate to the whole Church. Through the knowledge of the sources, the believers in Christ can reach deeper into the jewel of the gifts of the Holy Spirit who is always present in the Church.
Thematically the opening prayers bring the image of God, which is confessed by the Church and transmitted by means of the multi-century tradition as its greatest treasure, closer to the confessors.
The purpose of the liturgical prayers of the Church is not just a verbal confession of faith, but also its verification in life that is identified with the existentially understood faith. Therefore it appears to be necessary for the faithful to know the history of the liturgical prayer, so that it can better contribute to the daily attitude of Christians.

The subject of the study of the anointing at Bethany narrative (Mark 14:3-9), which is placed between two scenes depicting actions against Jesus: the conspiracy of the chief priests and scribes (Mk 14:1-2) as well as the departure of Judas to the chief priests (Mark 14:10-11). This inclusion belongs to a type of literary device which occurs frequently in the Gospel of Mark: an ongoing story is interrupted by another and is continued and completed once the middle story ends. The chief priests and scribes, who act as initiators and promoters of actions against Jesus, are joined by one of the Twelve. The contrast to these activities is not a people full of admiration for His teaching, but the actions of the woman in Bethany. In this way, her act becomes the content of the Good News proclaimed in spite of bad news about the role of His external and internal enemies. In all circumstances the disciple is called to follow the example of total and unconditional commitment to the Lord, which is presented as a memento for the addressees of the Gospel. 

Two remarks of John Paul II from his Letter to families (1994) constitute landmarks of the contemporary Magisterium de familia christiana. „The family itself – says number 19 of the document – is the great mystery of God. As the »domestic church«, it is the bride of Christ. The universal Church, and every particular Church in her, is most immediately revealed as the bride of Christ in the »domestic church« and in its experience of love: conjugal love, paternal and maternal love, fraternal love, the love of a community of persons and of generations”. This statement correlates with a part of number 17 of the said letter: „As a community of love and life, the family is a firmly grounded social reality. It is also, in a way entirely its own, a sovereign society, albeit conditioned in certain ways. This affirmation of the family’s sovereignty as an institution and the recognition of the various ways in which it is conditioned naturally leads to the subject of family rights”. As P.J. Viladrich rightly observed, a creative academic reflection on a convergence of meaning resulting from the both famous notions „domestic church” and „sovereign family” may contribute to implementation of a postulate to place family in a central position of systematics of the canon law. Christian family has an unquestionable constitutional and legal place in the Church and a society. What is at stake here is „a primary basic structure around which the people of God is build up, configured and fundamentally organised” (J. Hervada). Representatives of the so called „Spanish school” unanimously point at the canon – key to a new placement of a family in a canonical legal order. If the science of canon law still has got a task to introduce a congruent system of family law, a peculiar catalyst and a starting point of its fulfilment may be a formula of canon 226 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law which states that: „According to their own vocation, those who live in the marital state are bound by a special duty to work through marriage and the family to build up the people of God”.

The word officium summarises a significant characteristic of Roman culture. It describes the Roman ideal of life as public service, i.e. a concern for salus rei publicae. Latin Christianity took over the word and its substance. The ministry of a bishop was described as exercising the officium already in the early ages. That is how Cyprian of Carthage understood the office of bishop, even though he did not use the word explicitly. Ambrose of Milan made the Roman officium a cornerstone of the formation of priests, which he described in his well-known work De officiis ministrorum. He himself exercised the office of the Bishop of Milan according to the best model of a Roman official. The tradition was further developed by Leo the Great, who pointed out that pax christiana was the fulfillment of what the Romans had expected of pax romana. Gregory the Great took over the legacy of his predecessors. However, to a greater extent than Ambrose or Leo, he perceived the tension between exercising the office accompanied by worldly cares and the spiritual dimension of bishop’s ministry. It may have been caused by the fact that, after a total disintegration of Roman administration, Gregory was forced to take on the responsibility of the perfect of Rome. His Regula pastoralis, however, provides a continuation of Ambrose’s ideas concerning the formation of clergy.

The author discusses in this article a problem, important for the practice of pastoral care, of the manifestations of possession. He first cites the symptoms listed in the „Ritual of exorcism”, as well as in the opinions of well-known theologians. The symptoms are then discussed by division into three groups: physical, mental and spiritual. The first includes: unusual strength of a destructive nature, hearing strange voices, visual and auditory hallucinations, somatic disorders, self-injurious behavior, the phenomenon of telekinesis. Psychiatric symptoms include unusual knowledge; non-learned language skills; the symptoms of blockage of the mind, emotions and will; disintegration of the psyche. For the spiritual side we include an aversion to people and holy things, blasphemy, disruption of conscience, despair and suicidal thoughts, and Satan-worship.

The cult of saints creates a certain phenomenon that has been present for centuries in the life-mission of the Church. It is therefore worthy to devote adequate space for reflection of this theme, dedicated to its theological foundations. This theme in fact is continually timely and attracts our attention – both in life and research. The article presented above comes from statements relating to the conception and organization of Christian worship, from a previous attention to worship in the Old Testament, and which cult found its fulfillment in the New Covenant people, and so, in the life of Christ’s disciples upon the fulfillment of His work of salvation, brought to fulfillment at the coming of the Holy Spirit. Not surprisingly, and clearly emphasized by biblical texts, early Christians of ecclesial communities felt called to live holy lives on a daily basis, and sometimes even called each other „saints”. In fact, the Christians of that period not only felt a vocation to holiness, but witnessed their ability in practice. In addition, they were aware of the fact that such a calling does not guarantee any social prestige, but an obligation to follow Christ in His great devotion to the will of our heavenly Father – even to the Cross, which was taken up and carried freely, with the knowledge of the need of filling in their own flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of His Body, which is the Church (Col 1:24).
The demanding Christian life, namely the prospect of holiness lived out in the image of Jesus crucified and risen, caused the birth of a desire in the hearts of believers to memorialize – not only in the archives, but above all in the liturgy – the example left by Christians who throughout their lives could maturely answer the call to holiness addressed to them by God. In the examples of holiness that the Lord has instilled in their hearts, introduced in time into the liturgy, Christians began to discover – and are still discovering – the continuation of a plan holiness undertaken by God, constantly carried out in time according to the rhythms foreseen by Him. In venerating the saints, the Church proclaims the paschal mystery and gives glory to God for the work revealed in their lives, as well as recognizing in them witnesses, who have reached, through God’s multiple graces, eternal salvation – „They sing to God in heaven great glory and intercede for us” (SC 104).