Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! The ninth article of the Apostle’s Creed is “I believe in the Holy Catholic Church.” There are thirty-five (35) In Brief passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding this article of the Creed. The following is a reflection on article 945.
Baptism introduces us all to the supreme love of the Blessed Trinity. Religious Life, consecrated to God by the Religious Vows of the Evangelical Counsels (poverty, chastity, obedience) is a further and more intimate link to the Lord. There are three goals (or ends) of the Religious Life and the holy vows: deeper intimacy with God; dedication to divine service; dedication to the good of all the Church.
Intimacy with God is realized not only by the professing of the vows but by living them out faithfully. When husband and wife are faithful to their vows their intimacy and closeness increase. By total gift of self to Christ and His Church through their vows, the Monks and Nuns, Brothers and Sisters pledge themselves to intimately and personally mirror Christ who was poor, chaste and obedient unto death (cf. Matthew 8:20; 5:8; Philippians 2:8).
Two (2) points jump out when highlighting the total dedication of Consecrated Religious to divine service: Mission and Worship. The Rule of Saint Benedict, which is the classic form of religious life, treats the “work of God” which is the worship of God given in the divine service of the Liturgy of the Hours in eleven (11) of it’s seventy-two (72) chapters. Constant lives of prayer is a hallmark of those who are consecrated to God in the Religious Life. While the worship of almighty God is ‘mission’ enough, often to this mission various religious communities add further forms of service such as teaching or caring for the sick or missionary work.
Those who have professed the Evangelical Counsels and made vows of poverty, chastity and obedience not only dedicate themselves to almighty God, but they also are dedicated to the good of all the Church. In my own life I owe a debt to the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (RSCJ), the Adrian Dominican Sisters (OP), the Marist Brothers of the Schools (FMS). In his medical practice, my mother’s father worked with the good Sisters of Saint Joseph of Saint Augustine (SSJ) founding Mercy Hospital in South Florida. Through education and health care (and more) the consecrated religious have furthered the Kingdom of God on Earth and bring souls to Christ, making Him known by the holiness of the lives.
Through their fidelity to their vowed life, the consecrated religious lavish their love upon God who is love (1 John 4:9) and His people, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb whom they follow unreservedly (cf. Revelation 14:4; 22:14). Let us all remember to pray for the grace to know our vocation in life and for perseverance, encouraging each other in holiness (cf. Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 3:12).
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr