Living the Gospel in Daily Life - Auspice Maria Ep. 14 with Bishop James Ruggieri
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Transcript:
Welcome back to the Auspice Maria podcast series. I'm Bishop James Ruggieri of the Diocese of Portland in Maine. Today we reflect on a theme that really speaks to the heart of discipleship: living the gospel in daily life.
I'd like to start with a prayer to the Holy Spirit, invoking the Spirit's presence and power to inspire all of us as the Spirit speaks within and moves from within to the outside—in our service, in our work, in our words.
So, Holy Spirit, be with us, accompany us, move within us and stir us to put into action the faith that you have so blessed us with.
We ask all this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Living the gospel in daily life.
It can be tempting to think that holiness belongs only to great saints in history, to martyrs, or to extraordinary figures whose lives make headlines. But the truth of the gospel is this: holiness is possible for every Christian in every circumstance.
Living the gospel happens not in rare heroic gestures, but in the ordinary fabric of daily life—in family, in work, in friendship, in prayer, in the choices we make when no one else sees.
The mission of the Church is to proclaim Christ, to bring people into an encounter with Him, and to build the Kingdom of God. That mission does not unfold only in cathedrals or missionary journeys. It begins with how we live each day, how we embody the Gospel in simple ways.
Let's first ground ourselves in scripture.
St. James in his letter writes with blunt clarity:
James 1:22 — “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.”
Saint Paul tells us in his letter to the Colossians:
Colossians 3:17 — “Whatever you do in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
And the Lord Himself says in the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 5:16 — “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Heavenly Father.”
These particular passages remind us that faith is not a private idea or a sentiment of the heart alone. Faith is lived. It is embodied in choices, habits, words, and actions. To be a disciple is to follow Christ not only in moments of prayer, but in the daily pathways of life. When we want to see what this looks like, we need only look, for example, to Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati is soon to be canonized, and his life really shines as a witness of what it means to live the Gospel in ordinary, daily living.
Pier Giorgio was born in 1901 in Turin, Italy, into a prominent family. His father was the founder of La Stampa, a leading Italian newspaper, and later an ambassador. His mother was a talented artist.
By all appearances, Pier Giorgio could have lived in comfort and privilege, but he chose a different path; one marked by prayer, service, and joy.
He attended daily Mass whenever he could and carried a rosary with him always. He once wrote to a friend, “Jesus comes to me every morning in Holy Communion and I repay him in my very small way by visiting the poor.”
That rhythm, Eucharist and service, became the pattern of his life.
At the age of 17, he joined the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Week after week, he went into the poorest neighborhoods of Turin, carrying food, medicine, and encouragement. He said simply, “Jesus is with me every morning in holy communion, and I repay him in the poor.”
Much of what Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati did was hidden even from his own parents. He would give away the money meant for his tram or bus fare, choosing to walk or run home instead. His family sometimes grew frustrated when he came late to meals, not realizing the reason.
He once told a friend, “Our faith is not spoken but lived. The true Christian must make his life a living sermon.”
What is really striking is that his charity never weighed him down. He was known for his joy, for his love of the outdoors. He hiked and climbed mountains with friends, calling their group the Tipi Loschi—“the shady characters.”
At the summit of a climb, Pier Giorgio would take out the Gospels, read aloud, and lead prayer. His motto was verso l'alto—“to the heights”—pointing not only to the mountains, but to the heights of holiness.
Even in his last illness, when he contracted polio, most likely from his visits to the sick, his thoughts were with the poor. On his deathbed, he scribbled a note with a shaking hand asking a friend to bring medicine to a family he could no longer visit. Those were some of his final words. He died at 24 years old on July 4th, 1925.
At Pier Giorgio's funeral, his parents expected Turin's elite. Instead, thousands of poor men and women crowded the streets, weeping for the one who had quietly carried their burdens. Only then did his family realize the depth of his hidden holiness.
When St. John Paul II beatified him in 1990, he called Pier Giorgio “A man of the beatitudes.” Why? Because he lived the gospel in the ordinary—prayer, friendship, joy, and service. He shows us that holiness is not about being noticed. It's about being faithful.
This brings us to an important question.
Why do we seek to live the gospel in daily life? Not simply for our own sake, though personal holiness is our vocation. We live the gospel because we are members of the body of Christ. Our fidelity builds up the whole church.
When each Christian lives with integrity, when we allow Christ to shape our ordinary choices, together we build the kingdom of God.
To live the gospel daily is to create a culture, a culture of life, of love, of hope, and of peace. This is the opposite of a culture of death, division, or indifference.
The kingdom begins not with sweeping programs, but with ordinary faithfulness.
So, how can this be lived concretely?
Let us consider, for example, three groups: youth, young parents, and the elderly.
For youth:
The example of Pier Giorgio is compelling for young people. He shows that holiness is possible in the midst of school, friendships, and recreation.
To live the gospel as a young person means cultivating daily prayer, even in small moments, practicing honesty and integrity in studies, resisting the pull of negativity or despair, and reaching out to those who are lonely.
A smile, a word of encouragement, the courage to defend the truth—these are gospel acts.
Consider one example. When a young woman, for example, in high school becomes pregnant, if that happened, the cultural instinct, unfortunately, is often to shame her or to tell her that abortion is the easy way out.
A Christian response is different. Living the gospel means defending both the dignity of the young mother and the dignity of the unborn child not with harshness, but with love.
It might mean befriending her, helping her with her schoolwork, listening without judgment, or connecting her to resources that affirm life. This is what it looks like to defend the truth with love.
St. Paul told St. Timothy:
“Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.” That's from 1 Timothy 4:12.
For young parents:
Young parents live the gospel first in their families. The home is the domestic church where prayer and love are handed on to children.
Daily faith can be as simple as blessing your children before bed, saying grace before meals, or reading a short passage of scripture together.
Parents live the gospel when they forgive quickly, show patience, and teach by example.
At the same time, it is important to acknowledge the challenges. Young parents today often feel the strain of work, the pressure of finances, and the exhaustion of raising children in a fast-paced culture. Sometimes they feel isolated or inadequate.
To live the gospel here means persevering in love even when patience runs thin, showing kindness even when tired, and returning again and again to prayer for strength.
St. Paul's words to the Colossians can be a guide:
Colossians 3:14 — “Above all these things, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
For the elderly:
The elderly also have a vital role in living the gospel daily. In a culture that often sidelines the aged, Christian elders can show the world the beauty of faith persevering through time.
Through prayer, intercession, and wisdom shared with younger generations, they build the kingdom of God.
Psalm 92 says, “They still bear fruit even in old age; they will stay fresh and green to proclaim 'the Lord is just, my rock in whom there is no wrong.'”
(Psalm 92:15–16)
To live the gospel as an elder is to continue bearing fruit through witness, patience, and prayer, showing that holiness does not fade with age.
At the same time, we must recognize the burdens many elderly carry. Some live with loneliness after the death of a spouse or the scattering of children and grandchildren. Others suffer the weight of physical frailty, illness, or memory loss. Many feel as though they no longer have a purpose, as if society has moved on without them.
The Gospel speaks into these experiences with tenderness. The Lord never abandons his faithful ones. In fact, your prayers, your example of perseverance, and your willingness to endure suffering with trust in God are among the most powerful ways the kingdom is built.
When an elderly person takes time to pray daily for the parish, or to offer their sufferings for the church, or to share a word of encouragement with a younger member of the family, they are proclaiming Christ in a profound and irreplaceable way.
So, my brothers and sisters:
Living the Gospel in daily life is not beyond us. It is not reserved for the great and the powerful. It is the task of every Christian.
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati reminds us that holiness is woven into ordinary life; into Mass, rosary, friendships, work, laughter, and service.
When we live this way, we do more than shape our own hearts. Together we shape culture. Together we create a culture of life, of love, of hope, and of peace.
This is how the Kingdom of God grows—not in theory, but in practice. Not in slogans, but in lives transformed.
May we live each day with faith, love, and fidelity
So that our lives, like Pier Giorgio's, become living sermons—hidden perhaps, but powerful in the eyes of God.
And may the Holy Spirit give us the courage to go always verso lo alto—to the heights of holiness—for the glory of God and the salvation of the world.
Before concluding, I'd like to leave with this question:
What is one simple choice you can make today to let the gospel shape your daily life more deeply?
Just repeat that question:
What is one simple choice you can make today to let the gospel shape your daily life more deeply?
Thank you again for listening. I want to send a special thanks to my producer Jake, and again to all who hopefully will benefit from this podcast.
Thank you, and continue to pray for one another as we entrust it all to our Blessed Mother Mary, praying:
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
