Why take the road ?

Self-denial must mean something. To devote oneself is more than to give his money, his goods. To devote oneself is to sacrifice oneself, deny oneself, wear oneself, give one's all, give all of one's physical, intellectual, and spiritual strength. To devote oneself is to pour one's soul into the souls of the poor.

The surest way to achieve this state of perfection is to set off, to take the road.

You want to build a better temporal world, so it is on the temporal field that you must work, and there too, your program must be "the road", for it is the most perfect program for he who devotes himself, who practices self-denial. If I want to be totally dedicated, this will occur on the road.

Jesus was the most perfect example of dedication and self-denial. What did He do? He took the road from Heaven to earth. And His parents, Mary and Joseph, did not receive Him, the Son of God, in a palace, but on the road, in a manger. Jesus is the great Pilgrim of Heaven on earth.

A few days after the birth of Jesus, His parents were forced to take the road again, the road of exile into Egypt. The three greatest people of history, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, were forced to cross the desert. The road is their program and their home.

Later, when Jesus began His public life to teach the Will of God His Father to men, His words were sowed along the road. He left His footprints on all the roads of Palestine. Jesus, the prophet, walked. Travelling up and down the region. Along the road, He found minds to enlighten, hearts to win over, bodies to heal, sorrows to comfort. The Son of God came to teach men how to live, and He himself lived on the road.

The fullness of human life, which cannot be nothing but divine life, can be found only on the road, since it is on the road that Jesus Christ, He who is the Life, could be found.

The fullness of life for oneself, and the salvation of others, is the same thing. To save others, one must deny oneself and take the road. "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." (Luke 9:23.)

The same thing applies for the salvation of a whole nation: one must take the road. The program of those who want to save others, save society, save political institutions, has to be the road.

Jesus went as far as to die on the road, crucified on a public place, amidst the crowd of the roads. It is there that was achieved the work of our salvation.

We are the disciples of Christ, if we want to save our brethren. We will save them with Jesus. We must follow Him on the road.

Whether we like it or not, we are pilgrims on earth, here below, heading for Heaven. Let us take the road out of love for our neighbour. Let us bring with us to Heaven all our brothers and sisters of earth. Let us be all joyful and fiery pilgrims. Let us make an effort to reach out to other people, those who do not come by themselves.

Before his departure for Heaven, Jesus said to His Apostles: "Go and teach all nations." In other words, He said: "Go and take the road. All the roads of the world are your program and your home!"