Christian Lifestyles

Spring 2013

In order to figure out our vocation,

we first must have self-awareness What does it mean to be self-

aware? Self-awareness helps us figure out

who we are, what our values are and who God had made us to be

Vocation

The word vocation comes from the Latin words,

vocare, which means to call, and vocatio, which means a summons

Beuchner: A vocation is the “intersection between the deepest desire of your heart with the world’s greatest need”

Some people believe that the words vocation, profession and career are synonymous

That is wrong- vocation connects with the deepest needs of humans and that you as a person are most passionate about

Vocation

Vocation is a calling from God The first and ultimate call of each person is

the call from God to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him

Why do we have this call? Because we are made in God’s image Human’s are religious by nature and it

differentiates us from the rest of creation

Christian Idea of Vocation

We are social beings- God did not create us to be

alone God established a chosen people in the Old

Testament and Jesus, through His death and resurrection, established a Church to carry on his mission

The Church’s mission, or vocation includes all of our individual callings

We are called to participate in the Church’s mission by living out our personal vocations as God’s people

Christian Idea of Vocation

How do you live out your Christian vocation

now? By using our God-given gifts God doesn’t wait until we are all adults to give

us graces and blessings- we are all part of the Church from our Baptism and are called to live lives of holiness

The Church uses the word “Vocation” to refer to a person’s response to one’s baptismal calling to love and serve God and others

How do we do this?

1. Single lay people2. Married lay people3. Ordained minister4. Consecrated LifePeople in these groups may have different jobs or careers but they are doing what brings them a sense of happiness, accomplishment and fulfillment

Four Christian Vocations

Prior to Vatican II, Church documents referred to

Catholics as “subjects” Focus on the hierarchical structure of the Church:

pope, bishops, clergy then laity At Vatican II, the Church began to use the phrase

“People of God”- it affirmed the common identity and equal dignity of everyone in the Church

By virtue of our Baptism, we are called to be participants in the priestly and prophetic mission of the Church

Universal Call to Holiness

“Those members of the faithful who are not in

holy orders or religious life. They are, by Baptism, incorporated into Christ, made to share in his priestly, prophetic and kingly work and empowered to play an active part in the mission of the Church” (LG)

“The laity live ‘in the world.’ This is where they do God’s work. . . The laity serve to illuminate the world with the light of Christ.”

Universal Call of Holiness

The word sin comes from the Hebrew

word “Hatah” The word literally means “to miss the

mark” The idea of the seven deadly or capital

sins originated in the 6th Century with St. John Cassian and Pope St. Gregory the Great

Capital means “head”….Capital sins lead to many other sins

Sin: The Obstacle to Holiness

Pride: excessive belief in one’s own abilities

that fails to give credit to God Avarice/Greed: Desire for material wealth or

gain, ignoring the spiritual realm Envy: Desire for others’ traits, status, abilities,

or situation. They desire to possess what others have.

Wrath/Anger: they turn against love of others and embrace fury

Seven Deadly Sins

Lust: The obsessive craving for the pleasures

of the body. They desire to experience physical and sensual pleasures, ignoring the spiritual desires.

Gluttony: The obsessive desire to consume more than that which one requires. It is trying to consume more of anything that you actually need.

Sloth: avoidance of physical or spiritual work. It could be laziness but it can also be translated as apathy- not caring about anything or anyone

Seven Deadly Sins

Discernment is the process of figuring out how your

personal gifts steer you towards different careers and lifestyles

Explore: discover possibilities while having the right motives

Seek: direction by looking to Scripture, Tradition and teachings of the Church

Ask: advice from wise and knowledgeable person of integrity

Assess: your needs, abilities, experiences, etc. in terms of what God might be calling you to do

Pray: privately and in community on your vocation

Discernment

In the Old Testament, the Jewish people were called

to a special relationship with God, they were God’s “Chosen People”

God’s promises to His people throughout the years was through covenants

Covenant: a sacred promise between God and His followers

In the O.T., God made covenants with the Israelites on numerous occasions

Calls took on numerous forms, and to numerous people, but God was always leading them to Jesus

Vocation in the O.T.

God’s covenant made in Genesis with Noah and

Abraham was fulfilled by Jesus Jesus’ mission was to bring salvation to all humankind Even before Jesus’ birth, people were called to a

vocation in the N.T.: Zechariah and Elizabeth and Mary and Joseph

Once Jesus’ public ministry begins, he begins to call disciples and apostles

Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Phillip, Thaddeus, Bartholomew, Thomas, James, Simon, Matthias

Vocation in the N.T.

The Apostles were the first Christians- At

Pentecost, they were commissioned by God to go forth and evangelize

Evangelization is the spreading of the Good News of Christ

Today, we share in that vocation, to go out and spread the Good News of Christ through our actions and words

Vocations for Christians Today

The Holy Spirit, part of the Trinity, is

what sustains us and helps us in our Christian vocation of discipleship

We assert this duty as adult Christians through the sacrament of Confirmation

The Catholic Church has identified different gifts that the Holy Spirit gives us

The Holy Spirit

Wisdom: gives us the power to see things from

God’s perspective Understanding: Gives us a to truly

comprehend Jesus’ teachings and the Tradition of the Church

Counsel (Right Judgment): Helps us know what to do in difficult situations

Fortitude (Courage): ensures a confident spirit of resolution, firmness of mind and strong will to overcome obstacles

Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Knowledge: Enables us to judge what is

happening in relationships, the environment, and social situations

Piety (reverence): places us in the right relationship with God

Fear of the Lord (wonder and awe): inspires us with awareness of God’s majesty and the fact that God created us in his image

Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

The source of inspiration for all Christians,

from the Apostles to those today, should be the celebration of the Eucharist

It recalls the Last Supper “Do this in memory of me” Walk to Emmaus Through the Eucharist, we affirm our

discipleship and membership in the Church

Called to Eucharist

Another important part of the Last Supper was

the washing of the feet This ritual is performed every Holy Week as a

reminder of our call as Christians to serve others as Christ did

The Catholic Church in particular has invested in the service of others through schools, hospitals and other social service agencies

Call to Service