Lay Life in a Year

52 Reflections on JPII's vision for the Laity

Week 10: The Unique Character Of The Lay Faithful

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.

Lay Life in a Year Overview

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Week 40 – Every Disciple Is Called By Name

This week I want to do something a little different. We’ve talked A LOT about being called. We’ve said that the laity is called to: the universal call to holiness evangelize and sanctify the secular participate in our parish and help build up the Church But if we...

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Week 39 – The Mission of the Church

I think we've all been there—sitting through a homily when the "mission appeal" part comes up. Our minds drift, we hear the familiar phrases—“mission,” “help the poor,” “time, talent, treasure,” “spread the faith…” —and yet sometimes, it feels like the message gets...

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Week 38 – How to Respond to a Divided World

Division is something that seems to grow more each day. Nations, families, and relationships seem to be falling apart. In my own life, I have struggled to find something to hold on to. In weathering the storm, I often find myself grasping for anything to keep me...

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