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

The Single Life

A Life of Value and Meaning

What do we need to be happy? Basically, we need to have the following needs

met:1. Physical Needs2. Self-identity and Self-Esteem3. Companionship and Intimacy4. Self-actualization

Happiness- Review

Jesus provides us with ways to be

truly happy when He gave us the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12)

Our ideas of what happiness is can change as we age

Happiness in a Christian Context

Being single comes from many different

situations: by choice, waiting to find a spouse, or by divorce or death of a spouse

For many, being single is temporary, a “transitional vocation” until they find a partner suitable to marry, enter a religious community, or respond to a call to the priesthood

Some are called to the dedicated lay single life, which is permanent

The Single Life

The dedicated lay single life is a valuable

vocation that reflects God’s love in its own unique way

Being single has its owns blessings, relationships, advantages, opportunities and challenges

The dedicated lay single life is the most flexible vocation- they have more personal freedom to befriend or help people

Single life not talked about in Old Testament but is in the New Testament

The Single Life

Jesus and several of His Apostles were single,

dedicating themselves to Christ’s Church and message

Only married Apostle that we have proof of is Peter- Jesus healed his mother-in-law

Sometimes, like in the case of Jesus and His Apostles, married life does not fit the vocation that God is calling us to

Single Life in the N.T.

All vocations are rooted in our Christian Baptism The grace given at Baptism (Baptismal Grace) is meant

to last a lifetime and continuously enrich our souls Baptismal grace is present to:1. Make us adoptive sons and daughters of God the

Father2. Make us members of the Church3. Make us temples of the Holy Spirit4. Incorporate us into the Church5. Make us sharer’s in Christ’s priesthood

Baptism

Chastity is the virtue by which sexuality is

integrated within a person. It comes under the cardinal moral virtue of

temperance, which calls for a balanced use of all our gifts

Also rooted in the 6th and 9th Commandments Covet: wanting something or lusting

something that does not belong to you

Chastity

According to the Catechism, “The chaste person

maintains the integrity of the powers of life and love placed in him/her” (CCC 2338)

“Chastity includes an apprenticeship in self-mastery which is a training in human freedom. The alternative is clear: either man governs his passions and finds peace, or lets himself be dominated by them and becomes unhappy.”(CCC 2339)

“Chastity is a moral virtue. It is also a gift from God, a grace, a fruit of spiritual effort. The Holy Spirit enables one whom the water of Baptism has regenerated to imitate the purity of Christ.” (CCC 2344)

Chastity

Chastity, according to the Church, blossoms in friendship.

When we choose the right friends, our ability to lead a chaste life grows as we imitate the actions of those around us

Practicing the virtue of modesty can help. Modesty includes patience, decency, and discretion- it oversees how we dress, share our thoughts and speak about ourselves with others

Chastity and modesty are key supports to living out the single life

People should live out chastity in a way that is suited to their state of life, guided by moral law

Chastity in continence and conjugal chastity

Chastity

Lust: disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of

sexual pleasure Masturbation: denies the procreative element of sexuality Fornication: the carnal union between an unmarried man

and unmarried woman Adultery: carnal union between a married person and

someone other than their spouse Pornography: removal of real or simulated sexual acts from

the intimacy of partners in order to display them to third parties

Prostitution Rape

Offenses Against Chastity

Celibacy is abstinence from all forms of sexual

intercourse In the Catholic Church, two types of people are called

to celibacy: the unmarried and those who have taken religious vows

“Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8)

Premarital sex and cohabitation before marriage are seen as grave offenses against the dignity of marriage

They weaken fidelity and undermine the value and nature of family

Celibacy

Lay people, single and married, can be drawn

to the spirituality of different religious communities but don’t take vows

Referred to as “Third Order” members First Order and Second Order members are

men and women who have taken vows These third orders are recognized by the

Church and people make promises, not vows- share in prayer, mass, service and other events

Organizations and Affiliations