“There are many different forms of activity, but it is the same God who is at work in them all. The particular manifestation of the spirit granted to each one is to be used for the general good”.
People can carry out a vocation through married life, by bringing up their children and being loving and loyal to their partner. Undertaking a vocation through a single life is still possible by committing yourself totally to your job, for example being a teacher and devoting all of your time to the children’s education and not getting married so as to not have domestic commitments.
Some people take up their vocation through religious orders, for example nuns and monks, who live a life of celibacy and they also devote most or all of each day to prayer and services to God. Therefore they have to make extensive sacrifices such as family and the ability to spend the day as you choose.
The laity have a major role in following the example of Christ.
The lay people are called to explain the principles by which Christ taught. They do this by reading in church, undertaking missionary work and teaching. They also have an obligation to defend Christ’s teaching through prayer, hope, faith and love. Lay people apply Christ’s teachings to the problems of our time such as violence, drugs, crime, poverty, homelessness and disease.
In the parish, a lay person supports the priest by praying, giving communion and reading at mass.
A lay person also co-operates in presenting the word of God to the parish by instructing and by taking part in various religious groups and activities.
The laity offer special skills such as building (when the church needs improving), providing religious youth groups and doing the accounting for the church.
The lay people can also be of help when people are in times of need . They share problems such as marriage difficulties, alcoholics, sickness and death.
To conclude, all Christians are called to follow Christ and act on his word, this is true discipleship.
Chapter A2
There are a variety of reasons why some Christians join communities and take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
Some Christians enter upon a life given over to God and choose to be a monk or nun. They believe that the best way to give their life to God is for them to live out their vocation. Christians who choose to be a monk or nun believe they have been called by God to live this type of life.
Most Christians who follow this vocation become a monk or nun to live out their discipleship, while other Christians may have been brought up in a Christian environment, and believe that this way of life is right for them.
Depending on their particular type of vocation, they can choose which type of religious order to be a member of. The first type of order is the contemplative order. This is when they live away from society in secluded areas so as not to be distracted by society. They live in enclosed orders and live a life of prayer and work for God. These nuns are self sufficient in that they grow their own food, and most are vegetarians although it is not compulsory. Some examples of contemplative nuns are the Poor Clares and the Carmelites. The Carthusians and the Cistercians are contemplative monk orders. I believe that a person would choose to be part of a Contemplative order because they feel they can have a true relationship with God. By being away from society they can reflect on their lives and praise God for the good in their lives.
Others lead out their discipleship by becoming an apostolic nun or monk. They will lead a life of prayer but they also live in society for those in the community that are most in need. They could do things such as teaching, nursing and looking after the poor.
Once a Christian chooses to be a nun or monk they have to make vows that they will stay true to God and their order. The first vow they make is the vow of poverty. This is where you do not own any major personal possessions or wealth so as not to distract them from serving Christ. Also they take the vow of chastity, which prevents them from having sexual relationships and/or a family. They take the vow of chastity as they may be unable to do certain tasks because of family commitments. Lastly, they take a vow of obedience which means that they have to obey the rules of their order and their seniors, so that they are obedient to God and their teachers (whom they believe have special links with God).
To conclude, I believe the main reason that Christians choose to be a member of a religious order is because they believe it is their vocation.
Chapter A3
The next chapter outlines the purpose and daily life of a Poor Clare nun.
They are called the Poor Clares after St. Clare of Assisi who was born in 1194 and died in 1293. She lived a poor and humble life of secluded prayer and she believed that Jesus had called her to do this. St Clare was inspired by another saint, who lived at from 1182 to 1226 (around the same time as Saint Clare). He was called St Francis who was also of Assisi. St Francis the patron saint of animals was believed by the people of his time, to be a man of God. Probably due to the fact that St Francis developed ‘stigmata’ (marks on a person's body resembling the wounds suffered by Jesus Christ in the crucifixion) after he chose to live a life of prayer and devote himself to God.
The Poor Clares order is a contemplative order, which means that they live in enclosed orders away from society. They grow their own food and only order what they need. They do not have any major personal possessions, any that they do have are the property of all then nuns in that order and are solely for the use of convent business for example the sisters may own a car, which they might need to fetch supplies.
To date, there are over 20,000 Poor Clares living in over 76 countries throughout the world.
Chapter B
I strongly agree with this statement. I believe that Christians who take a more active effort to help others is a more beneficial asset to a Christian community than choosing to devote their life to ones self and to God.
I believe this, as I perceive Christianity to be a way of life as well as a religion that affects all aspects of life. This in consideration should mean that Christians should be self-motivated in lay work and other conduct.
Also I think that Jesus would support any Christian on doing good work. The bible tells us that Jesus sent his disciples to be apostles with specific tasks. In Mark 6:7, it states:
“He called the twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two. He gave them authority over evil spirits”
What's more, in Mark 6:12-13 the bible tells us how this effort is important:
“So they went out and preached that people should turn away from their sins. They drove out many demons, and rubbed olive oil on many people and healed them.”
According to the bible we were made in the image of Christ. Therefore we should make an effort to actively participate in the Christian community, as Jesus’ mission was largely active. The parable of the sheep and the goats refers to our duty to be prepared to help others. I think, with this in mind, that a contemplative life is spent in vain.
As stated in Mark 12:30-31, the greatest commandment is to love your lord and your neighbour, consequently when Christians lead an active life rather than a contemplative one, they are fulfilling the Lord’s wishes:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second most important commandment is this: Love your neighbour as you love yourself. There are no other commandments as important as these two.”
However, I am able to understand why other Christians would believe that a contemplative life.
In Luke 10:41, Jesus praised the example of Mary over Martha:
“The Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha! You are worried and troubled over so many things, but just one is needed. Mary has the right thing, and it will not be taken away from her.”
In this, Mary was listening to Jesus, whereas Martha was doing work.
Also, other contemplative Christians may argue that love is the most important emotion in Christianity. , and love of God is beyond all other love. This is stated in 1 Corinthians 13:13.
Christians that believe in a contemplative life taking priority may comment that God warns against abuses and excesses of the body, which can be so easily assumed in life. In 1Corinthians 12:1-3, it cautions that when we lead active lives, we can get distracted by material possessions or “lifeless idols”.
Contemplatives may argue that they also do important Christian work through offering intercessions, retreats, counselling and manufacturing goods. Jesus himself turned to prayer, especially in times of need. Contemplative Christians may state that they are simply following Jesus’ actions.
In my opinion, I believe that an active role is an important aspect of a Christian life, although a combination of both prayer and work to God is possible through being a member of an Apostolic Order.