In his new apostolic exhortation on holiness, the pope points out dangers that threaten and prevent one from achieving this goal. He warns against frantic consumerism that prevents one from listening to God in daily life:
'The presence of constantly new gadgets, the excitement of travel and an endless array of consumer goods at times leave no room for God’s voice to be heard. We are overwhelmed by words, by superficial pleasures and by an increasing din, filled not by joy but rather by the discontent of those whose lives have lost meaning.'
In this way, he criticizes 'hedonism and consumerism' that leads people to end up 'impoverished and unsatisfied, anxious to have it all now.'
On the other hand he says that we must be attentive about a 'spirituality without an encounter with God ' which reduces the Church to an NGO.
It also reminds the faithful of the danger of believing themselves superior to other people in living a certain kind of Catholic style.
The pope recalls that the battle for holiness 'cannot be reduced to the struggle against our human weaknesses. It's also a constant struggle against the devil.' He says that he is not a myth, but a reality.
The apostolic exhortation was signed on March 19, the five-year anniversary since the official start of Pope Francis' pontificate.
