Word of the Week

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Vocation: vocatio (L.): meaning “to call”
           
Man from all eternity was created to share in God’s own blessedness. We achieve this favorable Christian standing when we love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength (CCC 1). In this response, man fulfills his earthly call to the perfection of holiness (CCC 825). The term vocation is typically applied to one’s sacramental vocation.  These two callings belong to the laity and religious. The vocation of the laity is to “seek the Kingdom of God in all temporal affairs” so as to mature in Christ and in turn give glory to God (CCC 898). Consequently, we are called to offer up every aspect of our daily walk with God as a holy and acceptable sacrifice (CCC 901). Priestly and religious vocations are to dedicate themselves entirely to the service of the church and always live in the spirit of their charism in Christ. In addition, for religious this entails faithfulness to the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience (CCC 931).  

The word vocation is never seen in Sacred Scripture, yet it might be the essence of who we are as Christians in light of our call to give glory to God (cf. aforementioned definition in CCC). In the Bible, there is ample usage of the word calling and its direct relationship with man fulfilling his Christian destiny. Much of the Old Testament prophetic literature is about men, who were messengers of God, calling the twelve tribes back to reunite themselves with God fulfilling their mission (Jer.1:15). In addition, we see several passages of importance in the New Testament. First, we read the calling of the blind man  to receive his sight so that he might see earth in light of heaven, time in light of eternity, and calling in light of being (Mk.1:49). Second, is Paul’s second epistle to Timothy, where he exhorts the reader to cooperate in grace so that we may reach Christian perfection and our heavenly destiny (this passage from Paul is the most definitive usage of the word calling in the entire NT) (2 Tim.1.9). Lastly, the language of calling that is in direct line with the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, the calling of the twelve Apostles. Here, the Church calls us to pause and reflect into the mission of the Apostolic church and her identity as a kingdom of priests, a holy nation set apart for the work of God (Ex.19.6; Rev.1:6). 

The calling of the twelve Apostles awakens the beautiful OT imagery in which we are reminded of a former group of twelve being called to lead the people of God, the twelve tribes of Israel. Under the new spiritual order in Christ, the Old Israel (12) has given way to the New Israel (12) established by the new Jacob, Jesus Christ. Christ calls the 12 apostles, the first bishops, priests, and shepherds of the new covenant, to reunite the Old Israel under the direction of the New Israel, the Church (cf.Mt.19:28). Christ initiates the new dispensation of grace in the sacramental life of the Church so that we may dwell in the life of the Trinity. Essentially, the call of the priesthood is to live in Christ so that Christ may live in the Church. In turn, the call of the laity is to live in the Church so that Christ may live in the world.

“My vocation is to love”

--St. Therese of Lisiuex
Primary Texts Consulted

• Catholic Bible. Suggested trans. Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition.
• Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2 nd Edition, 1997.

 

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