How is God calling you? – Pathways to Ministry
The Call to All Believers
[Excerpts from Coworkers in the Vineyard of the Lord, USCCB 2005]
God calls. We respond. This fundamental, essential pattern in the life of every believer appears throughout salvation history. The Father calls a chosen people, patriarchs, and prophets. Jesus calls his apostles and disciples. The Risen Lord calls everyone to labor in his vineyard, that is, in a world that must be transformed in view of the final coming of the Reign of God; and the Holy Spirit empowers all with the various gifts and ministries for the building up of the Body of Christ.
The basic call is the same for all the followers of Christ, namely “that all Christians in whatever state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity, and this holiness is conducive to a more human way of living even in society here on earth” (Lumen Gentium 40). This foundational belief, announced with urgency by the Second Vatican Council, continues to be expressed not only through Church teaching but also, in diverse ways, through the lives of the Christian faithful. For the call to holiness is “an undeniable requirement arising from the very mystery of the Church” (Christifideles Laici).
In this regard, the Council also taught that “the forms and tasks of life are many but there is one holiness, which is cultivated by all who are led by God’s Spirit. . . . All, however, according to their own gifts and duties must steadfastly advance along the way of a living faith, which arouses hope and works through love” (Lumen Gentium 41).
Today, how is God calling you? How can you respond to your baptismal call? Is one of these formation paths for you?
