By Grace Ostuni
Staff Writer
Renowned Biblical scholar, professor and international speaker Scott Hahn encouraged an audience at Franciscan University to embrace the universal call to holiness during a talk on Thursday, Jan. 26.
The topic for the talk came from Hahn’s new book “Holy is His Name: The Transforming Power of God’s Holiness in Scripture.”
“Holiness applies to God alone…at the same time, it is the only thing for which we were made,” said Hahn.
Hahn stated that God wants to transform the love that His children have into the law that He made for them, in order to make them holy.
“There’s no such thing as a self-made saint,” Hahn said.
Hahn reminded the audience that growing in holiness is not reserved for a chosen few, nor is it impossible. Christians must simply take time out of their day to pray, even if it is only the prayers taught to them as children.
“We are called to be contemplatives on main street,” Hahn added.
Hahn spoke on how God calls each person where they are, regardless of job or position in life. He added that holiness does not need to take Christians out of the world.
Hahn’s talk was the kickoff for the St. Josemaría Formation, a program hosting men’s and women’s groups both on and off campus with the goal of promoting the spirituality of St. Josemaría Escriva through childlikeness and everyday work. Signups for the formation group were passed around during the talk.
“It reminds me of our mission as Catholics; we are called to go and spread the news of the Gospel. Our faith should be present in everything we do, especially when it comes to our secular world,” sophomore Arianna Centazzo said of Hahn’s talk.