The Faithful

Twenty years after the close of the Second Vatican Council (II Vat.Council, Vat. II etc.), in 1987, the bishops met in a synod to discuss the role of the laity or lay faithful in the Church.  This synod of bishops was based on the teachings of Vat.II. After the synod, the bishops requested that Pope John Paul II summarize the discussions that took place. The following is based on the first 16 pages of his response. Christifideles Laici:

The Vineyard…

One may ask, "Who are the lay faithful?" or, "What does it mean to be laity in the Church and what are my roles in the Church and in the world?" "How do I fit in and how do I carry out my role?" Pope John Paul first used Matthew's gospel to compare us to the laborers in the vineyard, called by Christ. "For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard" (Mt 20:1-2).

This vineyard we are called to labor is the world in which we live in. (Mt 13:38) This vineyard is to be "transformed according to the plan of God in view of the final coming of the Kingdom of God." We tend to think that only pastors and clergy are to answer this call, but everyone is called. St. Gregory the Great speaks some powerful words to us, "Keep watch over your 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."

A few verses later in Matthew chapter 20 we see that idleness should not be tolerated. 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You too go into the vineyard'" (Mt 20:6-7). John Paul II says, "The voice of the Lord clearly resounds in the depths of each of Christ's followers who, through faith and the sacraments of Christian initiation, is made like to Jesus Christ, is incorporated as a living member in the Church, and has an active part in her mission of salvation."  II Vatican Council reminds us: "…For faith throws a new light on all things and makes known the full ideal to which God has called each individual, and thus guides the mind towards solutions which are fully human."

To labor in the vineyard we must rely on the Holy Spirit for our renewal and we get just that. When we answer the call to holiness, we attain renewal on a constant basis. Our youth must learn this call and this renewal because they are our future and the future of the Church. "We must collaborate with our bishops, priests, and nuns actively in service; actively participate in the Liturgy; proclaim the truth of Sacred Scriptures and catechesis; and there are a multitude of services/tasks entrusted and available to the lay faithful." We are told of something to be mindful of however.  We cannot let the temptation of being so engrained in Church services and tasks cause us to fail in our responsibilities in the world that we live. We must maintain our responsibilities without separation of living the gospel.

We should not be discouraged. It's easy to allow our minds to lead us into a hopeless way of thinking…that all of it is just too much and we just can't do it. John Paul says, "Keep a watchful eye on this our world, with its problems and values, its unrest and hopes, its defeats and triumphs. This then, is the vineyard; this is the field in which the faithful are called to fulfill their mission. In everyday life there often exist contradictions in the exercise of human freedom, where there is found side by side and at times closely intertwined, evil and good, injustice and justice, anguish and hope." But, we have faith and the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us in our daily lives. Through that faith in the Holy Spirit, we will get clear answers as to the direction we are to go. St Augustine says, "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.".

We, as humans, get our dignity because we are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). The online bible on newadvent.org gives some great study notes on that particular verse: Let us make man to our image…This image of God in man, is not in the body, but in the soul; which is a spiritual substance. endued with understanding and free will. God speaks here in the plural number, to insinuate the plurality of persons in the Deity". Back to our dignity, think of what we are faced with in the vineyard. Think of the humiliating and degrading forms of "manipulation" that mold our minds to slavery…slavery to a stronger ideology, economic power, political and inhumane systems, scientific technocracy or the major influx of mass-media.

I love what John Paul stresses here though, "But the sacredness of the human person cannot be obliterated no matter how often it is devalued and violated because it has it's unshakable foundation in God as Creator and Father…" We have dignity because of something greater than all of the above mentioned enslavements. He then goes on to say, "…A person is not at all a "thing" or an "object" to be used, but primarily a responsible "subject," one endowed with conscience and freedom; called to live responsibly in society and history; and oriented towards spiritual and religious values."

We are to use our dignity in the strength of humanism. We do this through our participation and educating our youth as to this call of holiness. We participate in our families, in academics, we educate ourselves on different cultures, participation in social areas, and in political areas of life. "…creators of a new, more humane culture—is a requirement both for the individual and for peoples as a whole."

John Paul points out that war, terrorism, and violence manifests conflict in humanity daily, like never before. Humanity is trying to play God, emulating the building of their own "tower of Babel". This only brings about oppression, confusion, and struggle in our day to day lives. In turn, leading to the destruction of family life. But we can't lose sight of those millions of people who have dedicated their lives to promoting peace and justice. "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Mt 5:9). Today, right now, we must find our hope in Christ and His intervention for humanity. Because of Christ we are able to hope and we are able to labor in the vineyard. "Jesus Christ himself, is the "good news" and the bearer of joy that the Church announces each day, and to whom the Church bears testimony before all people. The lay faithful have an essential and irreplaceable role in this announcement."

So, the lay faithful are laborers? Yes, but Scripture gives us more insight into the Mystery of the People of God. We are laborers in the vineyard, but we are also a part of the vineyard. Jesus says, "I am the vine, you are the branches" (Jn 15:5). "The vine is the figure and symbol not only of the People of God, but of Jesus himself. He is the vine and we, his disciples, are the branches. He is the "true vine," to which the branches are engrafted to have life (Jn l[5]:1)." II Vatican Council reminds us, "Christ is the true vine who gives life and fruitfulness to the branches, that is, to us. Through the Church we abide in Christ, without whom we can do nothing (Jn 15:1-5)."

Born of Water...

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (Jn 3:5).

Baptism plays an extremely important role in who we are and in our holiness. We all know that baptism cleanses us from original sin and we also know that we are instructed to be baptized, but what does it mean for us right now? We see that we are the branches of a life giving vine, which is the source of our fruitfulness, Jesus. Our incorporation into Jesus through baptism is the source of being a Christian in the mystery of the Church. This baptism not only washes us clean, but makes us a new creation (Gal 6:15; 2 Cor 5:17) in Christ who, through grace, gives us life. "Baptism regenerates us in the life of the Son of God; unites us to Christ and to his Body, the Church; anoints us in the Holy Spirit, making us spiritual temples." ~ John Paul II

"You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased" (Lk 3:22).

Baptism gives us an association to Christ and through His redemption we are children of adoption  (Gal 4:4-7) and brothers or sisters of Him. "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren" (Rom 8:29). The Holy Spirit is used to make us Children of God and members of Christ's Body.  St. Paul speaks of this to the people of Corinth, "For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body" (1 Cor 12:13), so that he can say to the lay faithful: "Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it" (1 Cor 12:27);

Peter defines the baptized as "living stones" founded on Christ, the "corner stone," and destined to "be raised up into a spiritual building" (1 Pt 2:5). II Vatican Council says, "By regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the baptized are consecrated into a spiritual house." The Holy Spirit "anoints" the baptized, giving us an inerasable character (2 Cor 1:21-22), and making us as a spiritual temple, that is, he fills this temple with the holy presence of God as a result of each person's being united and likened to Jesus Christ. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (Lk 4:18-19; cf. Is 61:1-2).

Through the grace and dignity given to us through Baptism we participate in the threefold mission of Christ as Priest, Prophet and King. St. Augustine offers for Psalm 26, "David was anointed king. In those days only a king and a priest were anointed. These two persons prefigured the one and only priest and king who was to come, Christ (the name "Christ" means "anointed"). We share in that priestly mission that took Christ to a cross and He left us the Eucharist for us to enter into full communion with that sacrifice, His Body and Blood. We share in that mission of the "great prophet" risen up (Lk 7:16, Acts 2:17-21). Because we belong to Christ, who is Lord and King, we share in his kingly mission and are called by him to spread that Kingdom in history.

"Our participation in this mission of Christ as Priest, Prophet and King finds its source in the anointing of Baptism, its further development in Confirmation and its realization and dynamic sustenance in the Holy Eucharist. Each individual is one of the many who form the one Body of the Lord." ~ John Paul II "A chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people" (1 Pt 2:9).

Ok, there is a mission, but how do we as individuals fit into it…how do we fulfill our part? We all receive one dignity from baptism, but this one dignity takes on a manner of life which sets us apart, while not bringing about a separation from the religious orders carried out by men and women in the Church. The II Vatican Council has described this manner of life as the "secular character": "The secular character is properly and particularly that of the lay faithful." John Paul says, "To understand properly the lay faithful's position in the Church in a complete, adequate and specific manner it is necessary to come to a deeper theological understanding of their secular character in light of God's plan of salvation and in the context of the mystery of the Church".  Pope Paul VI said, "The Church has an authentic secular dimension, inherent to her inner nature and mission, which is deeply rooted in the mystery of the Word Incarnate, and which is realized in different forms through her members".

We live in the world even if we are not of it (Jn 17:16). We are sent to continue the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, which "by its very nature concerns the salvation of humanity, and also involves the renewal of the whole temporal order." All of us, as members of the Church, are sharers in this secular dimension but in different ways. We, the lay faithful, attain our own manner of realization and function, which, according to the Council, is "properly and particularly" ours. This manner is expressed by "secular character." Our individual place in life is the place where we receive our call from God. Our mission is a doable mission as humans. Vatican II said, "The lay faithful live in the world, that is, in every one of the secular professions and occupations. They live in the ordinary circumstances of family and social life, from which the very fabric of their existence is woven."  We  study, we work, we form relationships as friends, professionals, members of society, cultures, etc. This way of life is not just some useless situation we've been placed in. We must remember that Christ accepted His mission as a human, like us in all things with the exception of sin. Christ's mission certainly wasn't an easy one, but He did it and He did it as a human. Vatican II says it well, "The Word made flesh willed to share in human fellowship.... He sanctified those human ties,. especially family ones, from which social relationships arise, willingly submitting himself to the laws of his country. He chose to lead the life of an ordinary craftsman of his own time and place."

So we don't need to lose sight of our position in the world. Baptism didn't take us away from the world. "So, brethren, in whatever state each was called, there let him remain with God" (1 Cor 7:24). Just the opposite, God gives us our call to holiness while we are in the world and He takes into account our position and the talents He has blessed us with. The lay faithful  "are called by God so that they, led by the spirit of the Gospel, might contribute to the sanctification of the world, as from within like leaven, by fulfilling their own particular duties. Thus, especially in this way of life, resplendent in faith, hope and charity they manifest Christ to others." (II Vat.)

"The secular character of the lay faithful is not therefore to be defined only in a sociological sense, but most especially in a theological sense. The term secular must be understood in light of the act of God the creator and redeemer, who has handed over the world to women and men, so that they may participate in the work of creation, free from the influence of sin and sanctify themselves in marriage or the celibate life, in a family, in a profession, and in the various activities of society." ~Synod of Bishops 1987

"Holiness is the greatest testimony of the dignity conferred on a disciple of Christ. This call to holiness is precisely the basic charge entrusted to all the sons and daughters of the Church. Not a simple moral exhortation but an undeniable requirement arising from the mystery of the Church: she is the choice vine whose branches live and grow with the same holy and life-giving energies that come from Christ; she is the Mystical Body whose members share in the same life of holiness of the Head who is Christ; she is the Beloved Spouse of the Lord Jesus who delivered himself up for her sanctification (Eph 5:25). The Spirit that sanctified the human nature of Jesus in Mary's virginal womb (Lk 1:35) is the same Spirit that is abiding and working in the Church to communicate to her the holiness of the Son of God." ~ John Paul II

 The synod states that, "All the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity; All of Christ's followers are invited and bound to pursue holiness and the perfect fulfillment of their own state of life". Since Christians are re-clothed in Christ Jesus and refreshed by his Spirit, they are "holy." They therefore have the ability to manifest this holiness and the responsibility to bear witness to it in all that they do. As Christians, we are to live "as is fitting among saints" (Eph 5:3); "To be holy in all conduct" (1 Pt 1:15); to follow and imitate Jesus Christ in embracing the Beatitudes; in listening and meditating on the Word of God; in our participation in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church; in personal prayer; in family or in community; in the hunger and thirst for justice; in the practice of the commandment of love in all circumstances of life and service to the brethren, especially the least, the poor and the suffering.

So, how does this call to holiness affect us and how do we live it today? The Synod of Bishops sums it up very well for us…"Therefore, to respond to their vocation, the lay faithful must see their daily activities as an occasion to join themselves to God, fulfill his will, serve other people and lead them to communion with God in Christ."  Our fruitfulness and our growth depends on our remaining united to the vine. "As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing" (Jn 15:4-5).