Last Sunday I attended the Veterans Day ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park downtown. Towards the end of the event, one of the local politicians gave a brief speech about the power of service. He described service as an act of faith that reveals a heart convinced of the goodness of one’s cause, that it’s one worth sacrificing for. Such a witness is contagious. Pope Leo XIV said something similar during his recent visit to Uruguay. By population, Uruguay is one of the smallest countries in South America, and one of its most secular. Over half of its residents claim no religious affiliation. In fact, in official state calendars Christmas has been renamed “Family Day,” and Holy Week is known as “Tourism Week.” To a crowd of 60,000 gathered at a prayer vigil in Montevideo, the pope encouraged Catholics to be faithful witnesses to life with Christ in their secular society. Although the number of Catholics has declined in recent decades, the pope stressed that their smaller number should not be confused with insignificance. Using the image of Bethlehem, a tiny village chosen to be the birthplace of the world’s salvation, the pope warned the faithful not to judge the humble circumstances of the Church in Uruguay by purely human standards.
In fact, the intensely secular culture of Uruguay creates opportunity for evangelization, since it leaves people without a sense of life’s purpose. “When we try to build a world without God, we run the risk of leaving humanity without a place as well.” For this reason, when Catholics live their faith with integrity and conviction in such a place it is a great service to their neighbors. “Perhaps there are people who would never open a Bible on their own, who have not set foot in a church in years, or who cannot even say whether they believe in God. But when they see you, the desire for God may be awakened in them; they may even discover that it is worth risking their lives to find him.” The pope challenged his audience to exemplify a holy alternative to the ways of the world by embracing the sacrifices necessary to imitate Christ. “When being just and honest comes at a price, pay it. When forgiving seems like a defeat, forgive. When everyone tells you to think of yourselves first, do not be afraid to put yourselves in the last place. Be willing to give up time, money, comfort and plans to serve others. May those who see you find themselves asking: ‘Why do they live in this way? Where do they get this freedom? Why do they love one another so much?'” Such a witness is contagious. In fact, the emergence of saints has led to every period of revival and renewal in the Church throughout history. “Saints are men and women who overflow with the abundance of life in Christ. They are free and authentic people whose lives make it attractive to say a resounding “yes” to love, truth and happiness. Do not be afraid, then, to aspire to holiness. Christ did not call us to mediocrity; he called us to a new and full life like his own.” Our Catholic faith is good. What’s more, it’s true! All we need are some saints to inspire us to be saints too.
posted 11/14/26
