The Universal call to holiness

RedAngel · Newbie Joined: Oct 07, 2006 Posts: 11 Status: **Offline**

People tend to have a misconception of who God calls and why...Some people have the notion that the priesthood and religious life is a higher calling than being a mother or a husband or a student, etc...Then there's the opposite, some people would think that raising children to God and loving your spouse is far more better than being a priest, or a nun or whatnot.
Each state of life is a blessing and a calling from the Almighty. No matter which state of life we are called to, whether it be a consecrated life, or a married life, or the religious life, we are all called to be holy. You can't say that one state of life is better than the other, because they are all callings from God Himself.
Now here is another thought: If God calls me to the religious life and instead I get married, I would not be serving God, even though hundreds of people have served Him in the married life. If I am called to the married life and I join a religious order, I would not be serving God...even though hundreds have served God in the religious life.
Everyone has a calling...it is a universal call to holiness....we are all meant to be great saints. Each and every single person has a vocation. Our vocation should be to point other people in the way of heaven, no matter what our state of life. Our vocation is to love God and serve Him. The Universal call to holiness is a universal call to Love!

nam-eno · Newbie Joined: Jul 05, 2007 Posts: 77 Status: **Offline**

RedAngel,

Very perceptive. I just thought I would add a couple of references to scripture which reinforce your thoughts.

1 Corinthians 12: 4 - 31

"There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as He wishes.

As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Now the body is not a single part, but many. If a foot should say, "Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body," it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. Or if an ear should say, "Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body," it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as He intended. If they were all one part, where would the body be? But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you," nor again the head to the feet, "I do not need you." Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary, and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our more presentable parts do not need this.

But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If (one) part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.

Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it. Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way."

1 Corinthians 13

"If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, (love) is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

May the peace of the Lord be with you.

Nam Eno