|
|
||||||
|
Perhaps the greatest achievement of the Second Vatican Council was the
rediscovery of the Church as the People of God. Lay people realised
that they were the Church just as much as bishops, priests and religious.
Consequently, they had responsibilities in the Church: they were to be
co-workers with the clergy in building up the Kingdom of God. We see a very early example of this in the Acts of the Apostles. The Apostles asked the Christian community to select trustworthy men from among themselves. To these the Apostles would hand over responsibility for the distribution of food to the needy. Since the Vatican Council there has been, happily, a growing awareness in both clergy and laity of the different but equally important role of each. As one priest, addressing a group of lay Catholics said, "You are not here to collaborate with us. We are here to collaborate with you!" The laity have a distinctive ministry in the Church. It does not only concern material administration; they must make Christ present in their homes, in their offices and factories, in the public life of the State. The role of the priest is to give them the spiritual help and support they need to enable them to do this. Lord, inspire me to live more fully my role as a Christian in today's challenging world. |
|
- END -
P R A Y I N G W I T H T H E C H U R C H
| INTENTION : |
That consecrated people, answering the call of their
particular vocation, may radiate the spirit of the Gospel beatitudes in the
present-day world
|
|
In the world of today there is a widespread search for joy, happiness,
serenity, liberty. That is why the consecrated religious is called on
to remind every person that the life of a human being comes from God.
Religious give outstanding and striking testimony that the world cannot
be transformed and offered to God without the spirit of the Beatitudes
which proposes a way of living and for people to relate to each other.
The consecrated life is for all the faithful a luminous sign of the
common vocation to holiness, a model on which to draw inspiration and
courage. Besides, the religious community based on motivations of faith,
on mutual love and on sharing presents itself as a call to the constant
reform of ecclesial communities. The commitment asked of consecrated people needs the support, awareness and prayer of the entire Christian community, so that human weakness may not prevail but may always allow itself to be led and transformed by God's action. In fact, the attitudes indicated by the Beatitudes not only point a sure way towards fulfilment and charity, but also lead directly to the Person of Christ who came so that men and women not only might have life but have it to the full. | |
|
- END - | |