Universal Call to Holiness

"You did not choose me, but I chose you." (John 15:16)

As human beings, we have a specific call from the Lord. It matters not where we come from or what kind of past we have, we are ALL called by the Lord.

"And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too.'" (Matthew 20:3-4)

Although called to different vocations and ministries within the Church, we all share one call, the universal call to holiness. John Paul II, in his post-synodal apostolic exhortation Christifideles Laici, said that holiness is an "undeniable requirement" of the Christian faithful. (CFL 16) Holiness is an undeniable requirement because we are called to "be perfect just as [our] Heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48) and therefore must seek perfect charity and the highest levels of sanctity above all things. We share this call through the gift of our baptism which makes us heirs to the Kingdom of God and sharers in Christ's three fold mission of priest, prophet and king.

• We share his priestly mission as we continually offer ourselves and our daily activities to him and his sacrifice.
• We share his prophetic mission as we "accept the gospel in faith and proclaim it in word and deed, without hesitating to courageously identify and denounce evil." (CFL 14)
• We share his kingly mission "in the spiritual combat in which [we] seek to overcome in [our]selves the kingdom of sin and then make a gift of [our]selves so as to serve, ...Jesus who is himself present in all his brothers and sisters, above all the very least." (CFL 14)

And "thus it is evident to everyone, that all the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity." (Lumen Gentium 40)  Therefore, as we progress in our spiritual lives and persevere in our journey towards heaven, we seek continual growth in holiness. John Paul II states, very profoundly, that "holiness is the greatest testimony of the dignity conferred on a disciple of Christ." (CFL 16) The very essence of God is bestowed upon us and it is in Him that we receive our dignity.

This week, let us reflect on the words of Pope St. Gregory the Great:

"Keep watch over the manner of life, dear people, and make sure that you are indeed the Lord's laborers. Each person should take into account what he does and consider if he is laboring in the vineyard of the Lord."

May our every action, thought, word and prayer be a reflection of the Holy One who created us!

Colossians 3:17

Written by Alycia, Special Events Coordinator for the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm

Love and Sacrifice

When the word "sacrifice" first reaches our ears, it is not always joyfully welcomed. We tend to associate sacrifice with pain and suffering, which is something that goes hand in hand with the word. But if we truly understand the beauty of sacrifice, we won't shun it the moment is stands, staring boldly, in front of us. If we, as Christians and as Catholics, fully understand the fundamental part sacrifice played in our salvation, we would gladly accept the word and all that it entails. 

Love is a choice.

"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:13)

Love is sacrifice.

"The only perfect sacrifice is the one that Christ offered on the cross as a total offering to the Father's love and for our salvation. By uniting ourselves with his sacrifice we can make our lives a sacrifice to God." (CCC 2100)

Photo taken by Morgan Anding

Sacrifice is a requirement if love is to be genuine, as illustrated in the life of Christ. If we are to be unified as the people of God, we must set aside our selfish pride and sacrifice our wants and desires for those of God's for it is only His will that is perfect; not our own. 

"I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2)

When we begin to surrender our will to the Lord's, we begin to understand the beauty of sacrifice. It is Christ who died on the Cross for our sins, not us. We did not, nor could we ever, die for ourselves to save ourselves. The beauty of our Catholic faith is that we have the opportunity to unite ourselves to THE perfect sacrifice that won our salvation everyday in the Eucharist! "The Eucharist is...the sacrifice of the Church.... In the Eucharist the sacrifice of Christ becomes also the sacrifice of the members of his Body. The lives of the faithful, their praise, sufferings, prayer, and work, are united with those of Christ and with his total offering, and so acquire a new value." (CCC 1368)

Unity in the Liturgy

The Connect: Uniting Generations & Blending Traditions Conference in dedicated to building up unity within the Church, beginning with the family. As the weeks progress, we will be offering a weekly reflection to help our participants spiritually prepare for the conference.

What a better way to begin fostering that unity than to begin with a focus on the Liturgy and the Eucharist, the highest form of prayer and our unitive source?

In Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, paragraph 48 states that "The Church, ...earnestly desires that Christ's faithful, ...through a good understanding of the rites and prayers...should take part in the sacred service conscious of what they are doing, with devotion and full involvement. They should be instructed by God's word and be nourished at the table of the Lord's body..., [and] should learn to offer themselves as well. They should be formed day by day into an ever more perfect unity with God and with each other, so that finally God may be all in all."

Since the Eucharist in the "source and summit of our faith" (CCC 1324) and is the "efficacious sign and sublime cause of...[the] unity of the People of God" (CCC 1325), we should find in ourselves a greater longing for a more thorough participation in that which is our source. Jesus said, "and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." (John 12:32) When we aim to participate in a greater way in the Mass we find ourselves drawn closer to Jesus, when He is lifted up, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity at the moment of Consecration. Then, not only will we find a greater intimacy with Christ in the Eucharist, but we will begin to see greater unity in the world around us. 

Let us pray for the grace to grow in our love for the Liturgy and for an increase in our love for Jesus' Eucharistic presence in our lives!

Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us! 


Written by: Alycia, Special Events Coordinator for the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm

Welcome!

Welcome to the Connect: Uniting Generations & Blending Traditions Blog. Our goal is to help you stay updated with the conference and what is going on. Take a look around! Browse our schedule, list of speakers and talks, and learn how to register to attend our conference and help us get the word out! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. We are here to serve you! God Bless!


More information is coming soon so please keep an eye out for what to expect from this year's conference!