Year III, Number 37

A Specific Vocation to Holiness

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me" (Lk. 4:18). The Spirit is not simply "upon" the Messiah, but he "fills" him, penetrating every part of him and reaching to the very depths of all that he is and does. Indeed, the Spirit is the principle of the "consecration" and "mission" of the Messiah: "Because he has anointed me and sent me to preach good news to the poor" (cf. Lk. 4:18). Through the Spirit, Jesus belongs totally and exclusively to God and shares in the infinite holiness of God, who calls him, chooses him and sends him forth. In this way the Spirit of the Lord is revealed as the source of holiness and of the call to holiness.

This name "Spirit of the Lord" is "upon" the entire People of God, which becomes established as a people "consecrated" to God and "sent" by God to announce the Gospel of salvation. The members of the People of God are "inebriated" and "sealed" with the Spirit (cf. 1 Cor. 12:13; 2 Cor. 1:21ff.; Eph. 1:13; 4:30) and called to holiness.

In particular, the Spirit reveals to us and communicates the fundamental calling which the Father addresses to everyone from all eternity: the vocation to be "holy and blameless before him...in love," by virtue of our predestination to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ (cf. Eph. 1:4-5). This is not all. By revealing and communicating this vocation to us, the Spirit becomes within us the principle and wellspring of its fulfillment. He, the Spirit of the Son (cf. Gal. 4:6), configures us to Christ Jesus and makes us sharers in his life as Son, that is, sharers in his life of love for the Father and for our brothers and sisters. "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit" (Gal. 5:25). In these words the apostle Paul reminds us that a Christian life is a "spiritual life," that is, a life enlivened and led by the Spirit toward holiness or the perfection of charity.

The Council's statement that "all Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity" applies in a special way to priests. They are called not only because they have been baptized, but also and specifically because they are priests, that is, under a new title and in new and different ways deriving from the sacrament of holy orders.

Hello Father,

I have two questions. First of all, as I try to live a life of holiness at the high school level, I do my best to keep humble and realize my faults. I also try to lead a normal life, still keeping a social life and enjoying these years. But lately I have been seen by my friends as a goody-two-shoes, disconnected kid who is missing out on life. My friends, I think, are turned off from religion because of this. How can I fight that, and help them see I'm normal like everyone else? And when they ask me if I think I have a vocation to the priesthood, which I believe I do, how can I answer them honestly without being ridiculed? My second question is this: many people in my life are telling me I am "too smart" to be a priest. I am thankful to God that he has allowed me to excel in school with good grades, etc, but does this mean He wants me to be an engineer or a doctor instead of a priest? Is there any particular path I can pursue within the priesthood to still use God's gifts to me? Thanks in advance for your answer.

Dear Steve,

First off, no matter how smart you are you will be challenged in the priesthood and will use all your gifts to the extreme, (just look at John Paul II); so forget about the thought that becoming a priest will be tantamount to throwing away your talents. If God wants you to be a priest and gave you intelligence at the same time it is because you will need and will have to develop that intelligence in order to do all he wants of you.

About being a "goody-two-shoes", I wouldn't give it too much thought. Not everything your friends may consider normal is going to be the best for you, and there is something wrong or weak with their own faith if they say your behavior turns them off from religion, so don't sweat too much about "appearing" normal. Just have it clear in your own mind what is right and what is wrong, know why you do things, make your own choices, live your own life well, join in what you can of what your friends do, opt out of what you see is damaging or just plain stupid. That is "being" normal and it's much more important than "appearing" normal.

It is interesting that they would ask you if you have a vocation to the priesthood. It may be that they recognize that your behavior is right, but it will get them off the hook if you say you are going to be a priest, because they aren't, and so will feel excused from the same standards. So I wouldn't answer yes. Instead I would ask them why they ask -- so as to have the opportunity to say that the reason you do what you do is because it is what is right to do, not for any other reason. Maybe that way you will jog somebody's conscience a little.

God bless.

Fr Anthony

Fr Bannon,

I am 17 and am definitely sure of my vocation as a nun. I have even talked to a teacher of novices about this. She told me the sooner I began to train myself, the better. I wanted to begin this year, but my parents told me to wait a year. Now they tell me it's better if I obtain a degree in medicine and then become a nun. They say that it would be great to have a nun doctor, which is in much need. I told them that the life of a nun is devotion to God. It is impossible to be a doctor nun, because doctors spend all their time with patients and do not have time for God. Also, I would have to wait 10 years to finally be a nun because a doctor’s study is long. Also, I want to start now. I am afraid that they do not accept my decision. My 4-year-old brother is autistic, so my mother constantly tries to put guilt in my heart by saying, "Who will take care of your brother when we are not here anymore?" However, this does not affect my decision, because I know that God will make him normal, and will take care of him. Father, please tell me, what can I say to them, or should I follow their advice? Thank you very much for listening. God bless.

Dear Ximena,

If you are sure of your vocation, and have spoken to the sisters that you want to join, and they will accept you, I see no reason for you to put it off. It will be hard on your parents, but there will be many graces that come to them as well, and over time they may grow to understand and accept your vocation.

The idea of studying to be a doctor is not practical. Not only will it be many years for something you may not use as a nun, but you will most probably end up with significant debts to be paid off. I think that for you to take that path would essentially mean saying no to the vocation.

You should take into consideration the possible needs of your autistic brother. On the one hand your parents are probably still fairly young, so he will not lack care. His development will show how independent he is going to be when he grows up; not all autistics need someone to take care of them full-time.

I hope these thoughts help. Being as yet a minor you will probably have to wait for your parents' permission or your next birthday, whichever comes first, before making a definite move. Meanwhile keep very close to Christ in prayer, ask him to guide you and give you courage. And pray that your parents will get to understand the beauty and importance of your vocation.

God bless.

Fr Anthony

St. Paul, whose feet were well and truly planted on the ground, but whose heart was anchored in eternity, felt a kind of inner conflict: he wanted to live longer in order to continue preaching the name of Jesus Christ, but at the same time he was consumed by the desire to leave this world. He expressed this in words that were a madman's - or a saint's: "Life to me, of course, is Christ, but then death would bring me something more" (Phil 1:21). And elsewhere he says: "For we know that when the tent that we live in on earth is folded up, there is a house built by God for us, an everlasting home not made by human hands, in the heavens. In this present state, it is true, we groan as we wait with longing to put on our heavenly home over the other; we should like to be found wearing clothes and not without them. Yes, we groan and find it a burden being still in this tent, not that we want to strip it off, but to put the second garment over it and to have what must die taken up into life... we are full of confidence, I say, and actually want to be exiled from the body and make our home with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:1-4, 8).

There is no doubt that such phrases verge on madness. But we should ask ourselves who is really mad: St. Paul, who is so clearly consistent with the truth, or those who call him that, because deep down they live attached to - or, rather, trapped in the grip of - a life full of foolishness, smoke and deception?

Gospel Passage: Lk 11: 42-46

"But woe to you Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! for you love the best seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market places. Woe to you! for you are like graves which are not seen, and men walk over them without knowing it." One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying this you reproach us also." And he said, "Woe to you lawyers also! for you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers."

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, living in perfect accord with what you want of me is a huge task, a lifelong project. I believe you want me to triumph in this effort, and I trust that you will uphold me and strengthen me in this great race you want me to run. Awaken my heart so I might always run this race inspired by love of you.

Petition: Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to be a man of principle, so that my thoughts and actions spring forth from the beliefs I profess with my lips.

1. Jesus is no weak flower child: Christ hits hard when he confronts hypocrisy. How could the Lord react otherwise? Deceitfulness and twisted intentions are the most despicable of sins, but when applied to the worship of God, these actions become more monstrous. If God is truth itself, how can he react otherwise? Divine love is demanding, and if human love can sometimes challenge our generosity, the divine is meant to help us straighten our bent-out-of-shape humanity.

2. Strength is admirable when it is employed for moral actions. Christ is so admirable because he acts, not on his own behalf, but out of love for the Father. We are easily moved to anger and outburst when we ourselves are offended, but that kind of outrage is reserved only for ourselves. The Lord teaches us to realign our valor so that we use it in God's service. But this requires that God be in first place in my life, not theoretically, but actually. I have to think about him, talk to him, get to know him - that way I will love him and begin to feel a profound closeness to him.

3. Use your fingers to lift burdens from others, not to lay more on them. Some people see Christ's demands, the Church's laws and teachings on morality and truth and justice as "laying a heavy guilt trip on me." Christ does not deny the validity of the law, not even of the tithe of garden herbs. Our challenge is to see the Lord in these laws, and to understand the reasons which support them, and then to persuade others of their truth. "Persuade" comes from the Latin, meaning "to make sweet," so our witness is never overbearing, but inviting, appealing.

Dialogue: Lord, help me to be strong in giving witness to you, a witness of happiness, joy, self-giving. Help me to patiently uproot all that is evil within me so I can be a better reflection of your love and truth.

Resolution: To be joyful in my self-giving to Jesus Christ.

[T]he most important reason for strongly encouraging the practice of the Rosary is that it represents a most effective means of fostering among the faithful that commitment to the contemplation of the Christian mystery which I have proposed in the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte as a genuine “training in holiness”: “What is needed is a Christian life distinguished above all in the art of prayer”. Inasmuch as contemporary culture, even amid so many indications to the contrary, has witnessed the flowering of a new call for spirituality, due also to the influence of other religions, it is more urgent than ever that our Christian communities should become “genuine schools of prayer”.

The Rosary belongs among the finest and most praiseworthy traditions of Christian contemplation. Developed in the West, it is a typically meditative prayer, corresponding in some way to the “prayer of the heart” or “Jesus prayer” which took root in the soil of the Christian East.

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

Pittsburgh, PA, October 25-27. Spiritual exercises with Fr Anthony Bannon. Open to young men in college. Contact Fr Michael Goodyear, (740) 283-8835. mgoodyear@legionaries.org

Cheshire, CT, November 27 - December 1, Test Your Call! retreat. Contact Br Branigan Sherman, (800) 420-5409. vocation@legionaries.org

REGNUM CHRISTI consecrated women

Los Angeles, CA, November 1-3. Young Women's Spiritual Growth Retreat. Ages 16-30. Contact Magdalena Faine, (562) 597-6351. mfaine@inteducators.org

Ottawa, Ontario, November 2. Young Women's Spiritual Growth Retreat. Ages 17-30. Contact Lourdes Cano, (401) 225-2314. lcano@inteducators.org

Atlanta, GA, November 4. Young Women's Spiritual Growth Retreat. Ages 17-30. Contact Dorrie Donahue, (770) 417-1045. ddonahue@inteducators.org

REGNUM CHRISTI consecrated men

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

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