#chiesa #lumengentium Udienza Generale del Papa: Riflessioni sul Lumen Gentium

https://www.notizie.buzz/articles/2026/03/06/udienza-generale-del-papa-riflessioni-sul-lumen-gentium.html

Vocation

From the Latin vocatio/vacare, meaning “to call,” “summons.” This is an occupation to which a person is especially drawn or for which they’re suited, trained, or qualified. In modern times, it’s used in non-religious contexts; the meaning(s) of the word came out of Christianity.

There was a period where “vocation” almost exclusively referred to the clergy or the cloistered religious. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), specifically the document Lumen Gentium, re-emphasized that every baptized person has a primary vocation: to become a saint. This was a spiritual game changer!

The idea of vocation is central to the Christian belief that God has made each person with gifts & talents towards a specific purpose & way of life. More specifically, in the Eastern Orthodox & Catholic Churches, this idea of vocation is especially associated with a divine call to service to the Church & humanity through particular vocational life commitments such as marriage to a particular person, consecration as a religious dedication, ordination to priestly ministry (in the Church, of course) & even a holy life as a single person.

The Church generally categorizes “secondary” vocations into 4 distinct states. Each is seen as a way of giving oneself away:

• The Priesthood:
  • This is a sacramental vocation. In the United States cultural context, there has been a massive historical shift. In the mid-20th century, “Irish-Catholic” culture often viewed having a son in the priesthood as the ultimate family honor.
• Consecrated Life:
  • This includes monks, nuns, brothers, & sisters. They live according to the Evangelical Councils:
    • Poverty: Owning nothing individually.
    • Chastity: Celibacy for the sake of the “Kingdom of Heaven.”
    • Obedience: Following the will of their superior.
• Married Life:
  • In Catholicism, marriage is a sacrament. The “call” here is for the sanctification of the spouse & the procreation/education of the kids. This was often seen as a “secondary” vocation to the priesthood. But modern theology (especially the “Theology of the Body” by Pope John Paul II) frames marriage as a primary icon of God’s love for the Church.
• The Committed Single Life:
  • While not a “canonical” state in the same way as the others, the Church increasingly recognizes those who remain single to serve others, the Church, or their professions with a level of flexibility & dedication that married people cannot maintain.

The American Catholic experience of vocation is unique. In the late 19th & early 20th century, Catholic vocations helped build the American infrastructure of healthcare & education. The Sisters of Mercy & Daughters of Charity built more hospitals & schools in the United States than almost any other group.

The Sisters of Mercy founded a hospital (St. Rita’s/Mercy Health) in our founder’s hometown. This particular hospital was built in 1918 to combat the Spanish flu pandemic.

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“They have no wine” (Jn 2:3)

We can therefore say that in this passage of John’s Gospel [Jn 2:1-11] we find as it were a first manifestation of the truth concerning Mary’s maternal care. This truth has also found expression in the teaching of the Second Vatican Council. It is important to note how the Council illustrates Mary’s maternal role as it relates to the mediation of Christ.

Thus we read: “Mary’s maternal function towards mankind in no way obscures or diminishes the unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its efficacy,” because “there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5).

This maternal role of Mary flows, according to God’s good pleasure, “from the superabundance of the merits of Christ; it is founded on his mediation, absolutely depends on it, and draws all its efficacy from it” (Lumen Gentium, 60).

It is precisely in this sense that the episode at Cana in Galilee offers us a sort of first announcement of Mary’s mediation, wholly oriented towards Christ and tending to the revelation of his salvific power.

From the text of John, it is evident that it is a mediation which is maternal. As the Council proclaims: Mary became “a mother to us in the order of grace.”

This motherhood in the order of grace flows from her divine motherhood. Because she was, by the design of divine Providence, the mother who nourished the divine Redeemer, Mary became “an associate of unique nobility, and the Lord’s humble handmaid,” who “cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the Savior’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls” (Lumen Gentium, 61).

And “this maternity of Mary in the order of grace… will last without interruption until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect” (Lumen Gentium, 62).

Saint John Paul II

Redemptoris Mater, 22
25 March 1987

St. John Paul II highlights that Mary’s role as Mediatrix does not lessen or obstruct her Son’s unique role as the one mediator between God and us. Instead, it demonstrates His unique mediation.

As Mediatrix, Mary’s role flows from Christ’s merits. Her prayers are powerful and obtain miracles from the Lord because Jesus is our mediator, and she appeals to Him alone.

For example, at the wedding feast in Cana (Jn 2:1-11), Mary obtained the miracle of turning water into wine by leaning in and encouraging Jesus to reveal His power as Savior.

St. John Paul II further elaborates on Mary’s unique role and its ongoing significance, emphasizing her continuous role in our spiritual lives.

Her cooperation in Jesus’ mission through her obedience and love makes her our mother in the order of grace. The “order of grace” refers to the supernatural order, in which God’s grace is active and transformative, guiding us toward holiness and eternal salvation.

Mary’s maternal role in this order means she intercedes for us and assists us in receiving and living out God’s grace. By “heavenly fulfillment,” St. John Paul II means the ultimate completion of our spiritual journey, where we are united with God, fully partaking in His eternal joy and peace.

God of eternal wisdom,
in your providence, you willed that the Blessed Virgin Mary
should bring forth the Author of Grace,
and take part with him
in the mystery of man’s redemption.
May she obtain for us grace in abundance
and bring us to the haven of everlasting salvation.

Featured image: The Virgin Mother’s intercession and Christ’s first miracle at the wedding in Cana of Galilee are wonderfully portrayed in this majestic stained glass window at St. Aloysius Church on the campus of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. The church, which was dedicated in 1911, features stained glass windows crafted and installed by the studio of Franz Mayer of Munich. Image credit: Fr. James Bradley / Flickr (Some rights reserved)

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/07/22/ep13-materdivgra/

#CanaOfGalilee #encyclical #LumenGentium #maternityOfMary #mediation #MotherOfDivineGrace #MotherOfGod #RedemptorisMater #StJohnPaulII #supernatural #wedding