Reflections on Religious Life:
A
Journey of Faith
Living in an age of change
Over the past number of decades the pace of change has been phenomenal. Older models of society, with their traditional institutions, respected professions, patterns of security, stability and strong sense of community have virtually disappeared. A new model of society has emerged. Market forces, supply and demand, relativism and individualism dominate our thinking and deeply influence what we choose to do with our lives.
There is little room for the idea of vocation of any kind in this modern model of society, and the word is vanishing from our vocabulary. Nowadays we are known more by what we do than for who we are. A job is just a response to a demand. Still, in today's world there is a great interest in spirituality.
Religious Life
Christian faith proclaims that no one is created by God just to be a consumer or a worker, to be bought and sold in the marketplace like a slave.
Different forms of religious life have been a significant part of the Catholic Church from the earliest times. The earliest rule of St Benedict dates from the fifth century. Even today there is still a remarkable number of different orders and congregations doing a multiplicity of charitable works throughout the world, while others quietly pray, in solitude, for the needs of the world.
What does religious life mean today?
All human vocations - doctor, teacher, social worker, etc. - say something about the fundamental human vocation which is the answer to the call of God.
Religious life speaks about that ultimate vocation in a particular way. It witnesses to life with God by living in a way that points to values beyond riches, wealth and material possessions.
Religious try to be a sign which says that all human identity is a surprise, a gift and an adventure. Far from being an escape from reality, religious life calls for a spirit of boldness to witness to realities that are often marginalised by society. Therefore it requires a willingness to give time to prayer and quiet reflection, to allow gospel values to permeate our lives.
It is an attraction to a life dedicated to the service of God and neighbour, to self-growth and fulfilment in the deepest sense. It is a call to availability, to be ready to witness to God's love. This is done in a community which encourages us and supports us in our quest. Each congregation, because it embodies a unique gift of the Spirit, offers its own identity. It is a particular way of following the Lord, a particular way of self-giving.
Commitment
Like anybody involved in a committed relationship, a person entering religious life also makes a commitment, takes vows. People who get married make vows to each other and commit themselves to a family way of life. A person entering religious life also makes a vowed commitment, this time to a community with a mission.
Religious vows, like those of marriage, are taken as a way of life. They allow those who have chosen religious life a freedom to minister to a wide variety of people, and they give a freedom that permits them to engage with the world in a different way.
Vows, then, orient how we intend to live our lives. Theyare not first and foremost about abstinence or self-denial; vows are about taking a motivated risk for the kind of future we wish to build and the kind of society we wish to live in. Vows in religious life are about a special passion for Jesus and the people he loves. For us Salesians, the passion for God we live in community, focuses our ministry in a way that favours the young, favours the future, favours the next generation.
Hearing the call to religious life
There is no one simple answer. We are all unique and we are dealing with the mysterious relationship between God and his people. Each one hears the call in their own particular way. For some people the call can be clear from a very young age. For most of us, however, it is a search initiated by some inner feeling or suspicion that God might be calling us to this kind of life.
The call is often subtle and comes through the ordinary circumstances of our lives. The "still, small voice" is sometimes difficult to hear and is easily drowned out by the noises of society. It can be as simple as something we read in a book, see in a film, or a personal experience which in some way jolts us out of our ordinary way of thinking.
Down the centuries people like Francis of Assisi, Brigid, Therese of Lisieux, Ignatius of Loyola, Augustine, Mother Teresa, Nano Nagle, Catherine McAuley, John Bosco, Mary Mazzarello were called from very different backgrounds and lifestyles to preach the word in fascinatingly different ways.
The manner of their call was also unique. They all heard the call in the circumstances of their own lives. For some it came through illness or tragedy, a religious experience, the monotony and problems of daily life. The list is endless. God speaks to the heart in an infinite number of ways. But the call does ultimately require receptivity on the part of the receiver.
To join a religious congregation is to embark on a journey of faith. It is not something I determine myself - it is a response to God's prior call. God chooses me and calls me. It is an invitation to live life in community. To live with the belief that life has an absolute value which transcends the requirements of the market place. This is a radical choice especially in today's western world.
St Paul says:
"It is God who has called you to share in the life of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; and God keeps faith" (1 Cor 1:9).