Last week we looked at Christifideles Laici’s teaching that the laity belong to the Church. But, in the same paragraph, John Paul II quickly goes on to teach us that while we belong to the Church the laity does have a distinct call.

We are meant to follow Jesus too, but in a way that makes our vocation unique while still leading us to experience the fullness of God’s love.   

We don’t have to be a priest, religious, or work in professional ministry to live out the Gospel, though we gain wisdom and guidance from those who live these lives. 

The laity is called to seek the kingdom of God by engaging in all the different parts of society and ordering them back to the Lord.

Jesus wants His love to be everywhere and we have the special privilege to bring it into places of commerce, the family, friendships, workplaces, charities, educational institutions, and more. 

From helping our child learn to pray in public, to evangelizing our workplace, to looking a homeless person in the eyes, the uniqueness of the lay vocation lies in its call to order the everyday things of this world to God so that all of life can be saturated with His abundant grace.