My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, 

Today we celebrate St. Josemaría Escrivá, a saint whose life and mission remind us of a truth at the very heart of the Gospel: holiness is for everyone. Not only for priests and religious, but for teachers, drivers, mothers, fathers, students, office workers—ordinary people living ordinary lives. 

And allow me to share a personal joy. As a Vincentian, it moves me deeply that St. Josemaría received the inspiration to found Opus Dei in the house of the Vincentians—the Padres Paúles—on García de Paredes Street in Madrid. I have visited that house a few times, and I experience an extraordinary joy that the seed of Opus Dei, a movement dedicated to the holiness of ordinary people, was planted in a Vincentian home. 

This is no coincidence. Because St. Vincent de Paul himself believed passionately that the laity are called to holiness, and that their formation and involvement are essential in the evangelization of the poor. Long before Vatican II, St. Vincent was already telling the Church: "The poor are our masters," "The poor bear the image of Christ", and the laity must be formed to serve them with competence, compassion, and holiness. 

So today, the spirit of St. Josemaría and the spirit of St. Vincent meet beautifully. 

1. Holiness in the Middle of the World 

St. Josemaría taught that God is found in the ordinary. He said: “There is something holy, something divine, hidden in the most ordinary situations.” 

Holiness is not about escaping the world. Holiness happens in the world—in your work, your family, your responsibilities, your relationships. 

Holiness is not about doing more things. Holiness is about doing everything with love. 

Holiness is not perfection. Holiness is faithfulness. 

This is the universal call to holiness proclaimed by Vatican II, but lived and preached by St. Josemaría decades earlier. 

2. The Mission of Opus Dei 

Opus Dei exists for one purpose: to help ordinary Christians become saints in the middle of the world. 

Not by withdrawing from society, but by transforming society from within. Not by doing “church work” alone, but by making your work a place of encounter with God. 

Members of Opus Dei—laypeople and priests—commit themselves to prayer, formation, and service so that they can bring Christ into their families, workplaces, and communities. They run schools, universities, and social centers. They form consciences. They help people discover that God is not far away—He is right there in the middle of daily life. 

3. Holiness and Love for the Poor 

But holiness is never complete without love for the poor. 

Pope Leo XIV, in his first social encyclical Dilexi Te, teaches: “No one can truly call himself a Christian if he has no love for the poor.” 

And this love, the Pope insists, is not only about giving alms. It is also about working for the development of the poor, and even more, working for their liberation from unjust and sinful systems and structures that keep them in poverty and misery. 

This is where the Vincentian and Opus Dei charisms meet again. St. Vincent taught that holiness is empty if it does not lead to service of the poor. St. Josemaría taught that holiness is empty if it does not transform society. 

Both saints remind us: Holiness must have consequences. Holiness must change the world. Holiness must lift up the poor. 

4. What This Means for Us Today 

My dear friends, the message of St. Josemaría is not only for members of Opus Dei. It is for all of us. 

You may be a parent—your holiness is in your family. You may be a student—your holiness is in your studies. You may be a worker—your holiness is in your labor. You may be elderly or sick—your holiness is in your patience and prayer. You may be a priest or religious—your holiness is in your ministry and fidelity. But today, I want to speak especially to those in positions of influence: 

To businessmen and entrepreneurs:  Your companies, your decisions, your treatment of workers, your honesty in transactions—these are the places where God calls you to holiness. Your boardrooms and business plans can become places where the Kingdom of God grows—when you choose justice over greed, people over profit, and integrity over corruption. 

To those in the corporate world: Your leadership, your management, your corporate culture can either uplift human dignity or crush it. Sanctify your work by making your workplace humane, ethical, and lifegiving. 

To public servants and those in politics: Your office is not just a job—it is a mission. You are called to sanctify yourself in the very heart of public life, where decisions shape society and affect the poor. Your vocation is to build structures of justice, transparency, and compassion. Your holiness is measured not by pious words but by the integrity of your service. 

These are the places where God calls you to be saints. These are the places where the Kingdom of God must break in. Holiness is not a luxury. Holiness is not optional. Holiness is your vocation. 

5. A Final Invitation 

St. Josemaría once prayed: “Lord, let me see with Your eyes, love with Your heart, and work with Your hands.” 

This is the invitation for us today. 

Let your work become prayer. Let your daily duties become offerings. Let your ordinary life become a path to extraordinary grace. Let your holiness overflow into love for the poor. Let your influence—whether in business, government, or society—become a channel of justice and mercy. 

If you want to honor St. Josemaría, if you want to live the spirit of St. Vincent, if you want to be faithful to the Gospel, then begin here: Do your ordinary work with extraordinary love. And let that love lift up the poor. Then you will become a saint.