Year III, Number 21

A particular duty of the consecrated life is to remind the baptized of the fundamental values of the Gospel, by bearing "splendid and striking testimony that the world cannot be transfigured and offered to God without the spirit of the Beatitudes".The consecrated life thus continually fosters in the People of God an awareness of the need to respond with holiness of life to the love of God poured into their hearts by the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 5:5), by reflecting in their conduct the sacramental consecration which is brought about by God's power in Baptism, Confirmation or Holy Orders. In fact it is necessary to pass from the holiness communicated in the sacraments to the holiness of daily life. The consecrated life, by its very existence in the Church, seeks to serve the consecration of the lives of all the faithful, clergy and laity alike.

Nor must it be forgotten that consecrated persons themselves are helped by the witness of the other vocations to live fully and completely their union with the mystery of Christ and the Church in its many different dimensions. By virtue of this mutual enrichment, the mission of consecrated persons becomes more eloquent and effective: this mission is to remind their other brothers and sisters to keep their eyes fixed on the peace which is to come, and to strive for the definitive happiness found in God.

Q. Dear Fr. Anthony,

I am in high school and would like to pursue a vocation to lay consecrated life, but my father wants me to wait until next year or maybe even later. What should I do while I wait or what can I do to convince him to let me go?

-Tim

A. Dear Tim,

If your father wants you to wait it would be good to ask him why. There could be one or a variety of reasons behind his opinion (perhaps he sees something you don’t, or maybe he thinks your decision is not matured, or it might just have taken him by surprise, or he does not know the group you are thinking of joining... or, in an extreme, he may have difficulties with the faith that blind him to the ‘worth’ of a vocation). I do not know where he might stand, but you have to try to pinpoint the problem and address it. What you do concretely will depend on the actual situation. Sorry I can’t say anything more concrete, but there is one thing you should do for definite: pray. Pray for clarity, charity and generosity for yourself, and the same for your father.

- Fr Anthony

Q. As I read the e-mail I just received, I am again reminded of doing God's will. I am always asking myself, “Is this God's will?” I have read many articles that seem to imply that everything that happens in your life, down to the smallest detail, is God's will. Are we supposed to believe that everything that happens on a daily basis, day by day, is God's will and we should say yes to everything? That doesn’t make sense to me. I can think of many things I should say no to. Since we can’t see past even the next minute, how do we know that the decision that is facing us, however small, we should say yes to and know that it is right? What if we said no instead of yes and found out we were wrong. It doesn’t make sense to me that in following God's plan, you would regret doing anything. Regret only means you did something you shouldn’t. We know that God is perfect and so is His timing, so there can be no regret in following His plan. Are we to assume that no matter what we do, in trying to follow His will, that everything will be according to His plan?

A. Dear Kevin,

Let's see if I can shed a little light on your question.

It is not enough to say everything that happens is God's will, and all we have to do is accept it passively. That is more like fatalism. When we ask about God's will in our lives, we are talking not just about what happens to us but also about doing what he wants us to do. God made us free.

So, when we ask about God's will in our lives there are several levels to distinguish between:

· the things that God has done (the family he gave you, your Baptism, etc...) are all God's will and cannot be changed.

· then we have his commandments, the things he tells us to do or not to do. It is up to us to do them, and if we don't the results are not his direct will but his toleration of our freedom. His will in that case is that we repent, learn a lesson, pick ourselves up and go on, making sure to try not to fail again

· there are also those things that we can figure out God's will by looking at the circumstances: if you are a student, it is his will that you study and develop your mind, for example

· then there are the things that seem more optional: the choice between two vocations for example (marriage or priesthood). He gives us hints and makes some invitations to us, and what we have to do is figure out what those mean, what he is saying to us, and then have the generosity to do it.

I hope this clears thing up a little. If not, please drop me another note. I will keep you in my prayers. - Fr Anthony

It is wonderful and moving to contemplate this love and mercy of God for each one of us; just to experience it is enough to change our lives forever. God’s love bewilders us. We find it difficult to think that God could possibly love us infinitely and forever; that, pure and fresh, his forgiveness could reach us even when we do know what we are doing; that he could still forgive us, even when we fail to forgive those who trespass against us. He doesn’t deal with us as we deserve. His love is not limited, fickle and selfish as is ours. He forgives everything and permanently. He knows us perfectly and will never be ashamed of us, even if we commit the worst of sins. God is like that: “For even if we sin, we are yours, and know your might” (Wis 15:2). Even in sin we are still his children, and can go to him as our Father.

Only if you have contemplated, meditated and personally experienced the love and mercy of God will you be able to live in constant peace, always getting up again without getting discouraged, and treating others with the same love, understanding and patience as God has treated you.

Let’s make no mistake about it: only if you live reconciled with God will you be reconciled with yourself and your neighbor. And for a Christian the sacrament of forgiveness “is the ordinary way of obtaining forgiveness and the remission of serious sin committed after baptism” (Reconciliation and Penance 31).

Lord Jesus, I am here to do as you told me. I have heard and read it many times, but now I am taking it seriously. I want to devote this time of prayer to you, to “ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers to his harvest” (Mt. 9:38), as you asked me to. You are the Lord of the harvest and so I come before you to make the petition you have put on my lips.

Were it not for your desire and express command, perhaps I would never have thought to make this petition. I am always praying for myself and my needs, and occasionally for my loved ones. How seldom I ask you for something that seems not to have anything to do with me. I am always looking for things without having to give anything in return. And yet, when I stop to think, my prayer for apostles is also a gift for me, for these laborers you will send to your harvest will bring me the message of your word and your love.

Enlighten me, Lord, for I do not know how to pray. Teach me to pray, to ask you for what is best. Send your Holy Spirit to give his Light and purify my prayer, making it humble, simple, persistent and full of faith, trust and love. I wish I could see you, Lord, in order to speak to you, as your Apostles saw you, as your Mother saw you. I wish I could hear your words and witness your actions. But now you come to me as nourishment for my spirit, your infinite power concealed under the appearance of bread—lest I have any fear of approaching you.

I believe, Lord, Creator of the Universe, that you are really present in this wonderful sacrament in the form of bread that strengthens me on my journey to heaven. I believe, Lord, but increase my faith, even just to the size of a tiny mustard seed. I believe that you are here with me, that you listen to me, that you speak to my heart without the noise of words. Defenseless upon the altar, you are an eloquent sign of love and limitless self-giving.

Not only do I believe in you, I trust in you, because you are my friend and have given up your life for me; you are the vine that enables me to bear fruit; you alone have words of eternal life, and you are the Good Shepherd who calls me by my name.

I believe in you. I trust in you. And I love you. I love you because you have loved me first; you have given your life to redeem me from sin; you have opened to me the gates of your Kingdom; you forgive me when my life shows the least desire to repent. I love you for your unexpected gift of life; for the gift of my faith and baptism; for being born into a Christian family permeated by a faith that is simple, yet capable of lending meaning to my whole life. I love you because you love me with the tenderness of a father, with the fidelity of the best of friends, and with the passion of a lover. I love you because my life is full to overflowing with your gifts, undeserved gifts by which you lead me to yourself.

Upcoming Events & Retreats

(( Listed here are retreats directed by the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi members. For a listing of diocesan activities and other events, click here to go to the vocation.com website ))

LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST

CANDIDACY. June 6 - August 26 in Cheshire, CT. Visit any time! No cost. For more details visit www.legionofchrist.org or call (800) 420-5409.

REGNUM CHRISTI consecrated women

CANDIDACY. June 28 - August 10 in Greenville, RI. Visit any time! For more information, visit www.regnumchristi.org or call (401) 378-3201.

REGNUM CHRISTI consecrated men

Call Tony McDonnell for more information, (301) 365-3205. info@ytm.org

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