What is the Christian Vocation?

Author Germain Grisez
Before I write my reflections on the meaning of the Christian vocation, I would like to acknowledge that many of these ideas come from the written works of author Germaine Grisez who authored a book on the personal vocation of the Christian and was given good reviews by many Catholic news services.

Germain Grisez' concept of the personal vocation
According to Grisez, many of us Catholics get literally stuck at the idea of the Catholic vocation as that of being a religious or a priest. This is the classic meaning of vocation. Grisez however, proposes a new meaning that is more, so to speak, customized to each of our personal lives. He calls this the personal vocation and calling. It becomes clearer when we look at the levels of vocation and calling he gives to the Christian life.

The 'levels' of Christian vocation
The basic level of vocation common to all of us Catholics is our basic commitment to follow Christ as we are consecrated to Him through the Church in baptism. This baptismal consecration is sometimes overlooked by many not knowing that those who are non-Catholics but decide to enter the faith as an adult treasure so much this level of vocation. And many do not know that at this level, we share also the vocation to be Christian with our other Christian brothers and sisters - especially those Christians which have the Trinitarian formula (baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) in their baptismal consecration.

The second level of vocation is in secular language our civil status or in Church language our state of life. This involves our being single, married, religious or clergy. At this level of vocation, the classic meaning of vocation is usually delegated only to the religious and the clergy. But with the new theology and spirituality taught by Vatican II, it is expanded to a broader view that includes the secular vocation of the single person or married couple. And the Church revitalized its concept of holiness to incorporate the call as a universal one to all states of life: single, married, religious or clergy.

The third level of vocation is the personal vocation or calling. This is the level which we must discover for ourselves and if we do indeed discover it, we realize such a great meaning that would otherwise not have been seen if we were just to look at our being single, married, religious or clergy. Those who have been single or married or in the religious or clerical state for a long time realize how revitalizing, how inspiring, how invigorating, how Spirit- filled their lives become once they discover this third level vocation in their lives.

The personal vocation and calling
At this level of our Christian life, our lives take on a deeper meaning. We are not imprisoned or tied down by the expectations society has of the single, married, religious or clerical state but rather we gain the gift of freedom from the Spirit to realize a particular mission, a particular apostolate, a specific task or job, an individual responsibility, or a unique set of obligations that set us apart and make us feel truly "called by name by the Lord God". Indeed, at this level, our personal relationship with God has not only been rediscovered but deepened and strengthened with a life in the Spirit that calls us forth to greater and greater awareness of our Christian vocation to follow the Lord and His teachings.

The Christian vocation and calling
Given the three levels of Christian vocation and calling above, we can see that the ultimate aim of following our Lord in our commitment to Him entails going through all three levels. And eventually we are called to discover for ourselves that level of vocation that brings forth in us a far greater love for Him and His Church akin to a wellspring that gushes out living water that never runs dry.

Dennis-Emmanuel Cabrera
December 11, 2004