Feast Day: June 26
Born: January 9, 1902, Barbastro, Spain
Died: June 26, 1975, Rome, Italy
Beatified: May 17, 1992, by Pope Saint John Paul II
Canonized: October 6, 2002, by Pope Saint John Paul II
Founder: Opus Dei
Patronage: Although he has no officially designated universal patronage, he is widely invoked by those seeking holiness in daily work, family life, and professional vocations.
Introduction
Among the saints of the twentieth century, Saint Josemaría Escrivá stands out as a prophet of the universal call to holiness. At a time when many people believed that sanctity was reserved for priests, religious, or missionaries, he proclaimed a revolutionary yet deeply biblical truth: every baptized Christian is called to become a saint through the ordinary circumstances of daily life.
His message transformed the spiritual lives of countless lay men and women, encouraging them to discover God not only in churches and monasteries but also in offices, classrooms, homes, factories, hospitals, farms, and universities. Through the foundation of Opus Dei, Saint Josemaría helped millions understand that ordinary work, when offered to God with love, becomes a path to holiness.
Today, his teachings continue to inspire Christians across the world to seek Christ in the ordinary duties of everyday life.
Early Life
Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer was born on January 9, 1902, in Barbastro, a small town in northeastern Spain.
He was the second of six children born to José Escrivá and Dolores Albás. Three of his sisters died in childhood, a painful experience that deeply shaped the family’s faith and trust in Divine Providence.
Josemaría grew up in a devout Catholic household where prayer, charity, and confidence in God’s will were central to daily life.
His father, a successful merchant, later experienced financial ruin, forcing the family to relocate to Logroño. Although this transition brought hardship, it also strengthened young Josemaría’s spiritual maturity.
Discovering His Vocation
A defining moment occurred during the winter of 1917–1918.
Walking through the snow in Logroño, Josemaría noticed the barefoot footprints left by a Carmelite friar. The sight deeply moved him. He reflected that if someone was willing to make such sacrifices for God, perhaps the Lord was asking something similar of him.
Although he did not yet know God’s specific plan, he became convinced that he had a special vocation.
He later wrote:
“I began to sense Love, to realize that my heart was asking me for something great, and that it was love.”
This interior call eventually led him to enter the seminary.
Priestly Formation
Josemaría studied philosophy and theology in the diocesan seminaries of Logroño and Zaragoza.
He was ordained a priest on March 28, 1925.
His first pastoral assignments involved serving rural parishes and later ministering in Zaragoza. His priestly ministry quickly became known for:
- Compassion toward the poor.
- Tireless availability for Confession.
- Deep devotion to the Eucharist.
- Love for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- Care for the sick and the dying.
Even as a young priest, he spent long hours in prayer, seeking to understand God’s will for his life.
The Foundation of Opus Dei
On October 2, 1928, while on a spiritual retreat in Madrid, Father Josemaría experienced what he later described as a profound illumination from God.
He understood that the Lord was calling him to establish Opus Dei (“Work of God”).
The essential message entrusted to him was simple yet transformative:
Every Christian is called to holiness and apostolate through ordinary work and everyday life.
This vision emphasized that holiness is not limited to monasteries or convents but is attainable by:
- Teachers.
- Doctors.
- Engineers.
- Farmers.
- Office workers.
- Students.
- Homemakers.
- Business professionals.
- Laborers.
By performing daily duties with love, competence, honesty, and dedication to God, Christians participate in God’s work of sanctifying the world.
A Spiritual Revolution
At the time, many believed that only priests and religious had a special vocation to holiness.
Saint Josemaría challenged this assumption.
Long before the Second Vatican Council, he taught that:
- Every baptized person is called to sanctity.
- Daily work can become prayer.
- Professional excellence glorifies God.
- Family life is a place of holiness.
- Ordinary responsibilities are opportunities for Christian witness.
These teachings anticipated the Council’s later emphasis on the universal call to holiness, especially in the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium.
Growth Amid Difficulties
The early years of Opus Dei coincided with tremendous political unrest in Spain.
During the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), priests faced severe persecution.
Josemaría was forced into hiding for several months and eventually escaped across the Pyrenees Mountains into territory where he could safely continue his priestly ministry.
Despite these dangers, he remained committed to the mission entrusted to him.
After the war, Opus Dei expanded steadily throughout Spain and later across Europe and the Americas.
Expansion Throughout the World
In 1946, Saint Josemaría moved permanently to Rome, where he directed the international development of Opus Dei.
Over the following decades, the organization spread rapidly across every continent.
Today, Opus Dei includes:
- Lay men and women.
- Priests.
- Married members.
- Celibate members.
- Cooperators of many faith traditions.
Its members work in education, healthcare, business, media, agriculture, science, law, and numerous other professions while striving to live the Gospel in everyday life.
His Spiritual Teaching
Saint Josemaría’s spirituality centers on several key themes.
1. Holiness in Ordinary Life
His most famous teaching is that ordinary life is the place where Christians encounter God.
He often said:
“There is something holy, something divine, hidden in the most ordinary situations.”
Every task, no matter how small, can become an act of love when performed for God.
2. Sanctification of Work
Work is not merely a means of earning a living.
According to Saint Josemaría, work becomes:
- Prayer.
- Service.
- Evangelization.
- Participation in God’s creative activity.
He encouraged Christians to perform their work with competence, integrity, diligence, and joy.
3. Love for the Eucharist
The Eucharist occupied the center of his spiritual life.
He encouraged:
- Daily Mass whenever possible.
- Frequent Holy Communion.
- Eucharistic adoration.
- Thanksgiving after Mass.
He believed that all Christian life flows from the Eucharist.
4. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Saint Josemaría possessed deep Marian devotion.
He frequently encouraged Christians to:
- Pray the Rosary daily.
- Consecrate themselves to Mary.
- Turn confidently to her maternal intercession.
He often referred to Mary as the surest path to Jesus.
5. Unity of Life
He rejected the idea that faith should remain separate from ordinary activities.
Instead, he taught the “unity of life,” integrating:
- Prayer.
- Family.
- Work.
- Recreation.
- Social relationships.
- Apostolic service.
For him, every aspect of life belonged to God.
Literary Contributions
Saint Josemaría wrote numerous spiritual works that continue to guide Christians worldwide.
Among his best-known books are:
- The Way
- Furrow
- The Forge
- Christ Is Passing By
- Friends of God
- The Way of the Cross
- Holy Rosary
- Conversations with Saint Josemaría
His writings are concise, practical, deeply biblical, and rich in spiritual wisdom.
Final Years
Despite declining health, Saint Josemaría continued traveling, preaching retreats, and encouraging Christians around the world.
On June 26, 1975, after returning to the headquarters of Opus Dei in Rome, he suddenly suffered a heart attack and died at the age of seventy-three.
His death was mourned by thousands who had benefited from his priestly ministry and spiritual guidance.
Beatification and Canonization
The Church carefully examined his life, virtues, and the miracles attributed to his intercession.
He was:
- Beatified on May 17, 1992, by Pope Saint John Paul II.
- Canonized on October 6, 2002, by the same Pope before hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter’s Square.
During the canonization homily, Pope John Paul II praised Saint Josemaría for reminding Christians that holiness is found in everyday life and ordinary work.
Spiritual Legacy
Today, Saint Josemaría’s influence extends across the globe.
His legacy includes:
- The worldwide apostolate of Opus Dei.
- Countless lay people inspired to seek holiness in ordinary life.
- A renewed appreciation of the dignity of work.
- Greater awareness of the universal call to holiness.
- Spiritual guidance through his books and homilies.
His teachings continue to inspire priests, religious, married couples, students, professionals, and young people.
Lessons from the Life of Saint Josemaría Escrivá
His life offers enduring lessons for every Christian:
- Holiness is possible for everyone, regardless of vocation or profession.
- Daily work can become a prayer when offered to God with love.
- Ordinary duties performed faithfully are extraordinary in God’s eyes.
- The Eucharist should remain the center of Christian life.
- Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary strengthens discipleship.
- Faith should shape every aspect of daily living.
- Christian witness is most effective when lived with humility, joy, and charity.
A Memorable Quote
One of Saint Josemaría’s most beloved sayings beautifully summarizes his spirituality:
“Either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary, everyday life, or else we shall never find Him.”
This simple truth continues to inspire millions of Christians to discover God’s presence in the ordinary moments of life.
Conclusion
Saint Josemaría Escrivá was a visionary priest who helped the modern Church rediscover an ancient Gospel truth: holiness is not reserved for a privileged few but is the vocation of every baptized Christian. Through his preaching, writings, and the foundation of Opus Dei, he showed that ordinary work, family responsibilities, and everyday relationships can become paths to sanctity when lived in union with Christ.
His life remains a powerful reminder that God calls each person not to escape the world but to transform it from within through faithful service, integrity, charity, and prayer. On his feast day, the Church invites all believers to embrace the sanctity of ordinary life and to strive for holiness in every task, however humble, confident that every moment offered to God can become an act of love and a step toward heaven.
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