Download - Christian Lifestyles
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