The Second Vatican Council called for spiritual renewal of
the Church and the faithful. Pope John XIII called for an ecumenical council of
Catholic bishops in order to renew the world wide Church in the 21st
century. Pope John XIII stated, “They [clergy] must not engage in sterile
academic controversies, but must find meaningful, positive, and fresh ways of
stating the Church’s age-old doctrine”[1]
This council is distinct from the others, for it is simply evangelizing the
Church of Christ through refreshing Church doctrine in the minds of the modern
world. This council’s aim was to direct the Church into the new ear. But after
his unexpected death, the council was revealed to the world by the new Bishop
of Rome, Pope Paul VI.
As a baptized member of the Catholic Church, each one of us
is a priest. Not an ordained priest such as the priest at your home parish.
However, as a baptized member of God, we are all priests, prophets and kings of
Christ. Recognizing this duty which we are all called to fulfill, what does
this mean for our vocation here on earth? A chapter within the document, Lumen gentium, calls each human being to
holiness.[2]
This piece of writing within the document calls upon the world wide Church to
strive towards holiness. Christians within this modern era seem to understand
holiness as only being attained by being an ordained priest or religious
brother/sister. Our Roman Bishop reminds the world that each Christian is
called to holiness and called to the sainthood. One does not have to be an
ordained priest, religious brother or sister, or even a pope to attain
holiness. The laity should strive for holiness within their heart, body and
soul, striving to become saint-like. Regardless of the vocation which one is
called to, one is called to live a life reflecting the image of God.
As spoken by Blessed Mother Teresa, “Holiness is not the
luxury of a few. It is a simple duty for you and for me."[3]
The universal call to holiness has created “a move to recognize more lay
men and women as saints, as models of sanctity for lay Catholics.”[4]
This understanding of holiness as a lay member of the Church is significant,
for it portrays holiness as a humble sacrifice of one’s self. The Church’s holiness flows from the holiness
of our founder, Jesus Christ. Therefore, the holiness which we strive comes
from the same source-Christ. “For example the second Eucharistic Prayer
states "You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness."
Thus, it is not so much moral perfection as a sharing in the holiness of Christ
who is our sanctification. Jesus called all to be holy and sent the Holy Spirit
to make this possible.[5]
At our baptism, entering into the body of Christ, we received holiness from our
Lord. Through the sacraments, we receive the fruits of the Holy Spirit which
serves as a foundation of our moral lives within the Church.
Each Christian is called to live a holy and Christ-like life,
and the Second Vatican council calls the Body of Christ to universal holiness.
This document serves as a reminder that holiness can be attained by simple
people within the Church. One does not have to die for one’s faith, found a
religious order, or give ones entire life to serving the poor in Calcutta to
become holy. Each person in Christ is
called to be like him, for we are all one in the Body of Christ. In the Gospel of John, he reminds us of the sacred words of
Christ, "You did not choose me, but I chose you."[6]
[6]
The Holy Bible: New American Bible the
College Study Bible (Winona, MN: Saint Mary’s Press, 2007). John 15:16.
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