In the Renewal of the Church

The Call of the Church for the Laity in vatican Council II

Lumen Gentium 33:

"The laity are gathered together in the people of God and make up the Body of Christ under one Head. Whoever they are, they are called upon, as living members, to expend all their energy for the growth of the Church and its continuous sanctification. For this very energy is a gift of the Creator and a blessing of the Redeemer. The lay apostolate, however, is a participation in the saving mission of the Church itself.

Through their baptism and confirmation, all are commisionned to that apostolate by the Lord Itself. Moreover, through the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist, there are communicated and nourrished that charity toward God and man which is the soul of the entire apostolate. Now, the laity are called in a special way to make the Church present and operative in those places and circumstances where only through them can she become the salt of the earth. Thus every layman, by vitue of the very gifts bestowed upon him, is at the same time a witness and a living instrument of the mission of the Church herself, "according to the measure of Christ’s bestowal" (Eph. 4,7)"

Lumen Gentium 37:

"Let sacred pastors recognize and promote the dignity as well as the responsibility of the layman in the Church. Let them willingly make us of his prudent advice. Let them fidently assign duties to him in the service of the Church, allowing freedom and room for his action. Further, let them encourage the layman so that he may undertake tasks on his own initiative. Attentively in Christ, let them consider with fatherly love the projects, suggestions, and desires proposed by the laity"

Lumen Gentium 38:

"Each individual layman must stand before the world as a witness to the Resurrection and life of the Lord Jesus and as a sign that God lives. As a body and individually, the laity must do their part to nourrish the world with spiritual fruits (Gal 5,22), and to spread abroad in it that spirit by which are animated that poor, meek, and peacemaking men whom the lOrd in the Gospel calls blessed (Mt 5, 3-9) In a word, "what the soul is to the body, let christians be to the world."

Lumen Gentium 40:

"Thus it is evident to everyone that all the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status are called to the fullness of the christian life and to the perfection of charity."

Lumen Gentium 41: "All of Christ’s faithfull, therefore, whatever be the the conditions, duties, and circumstances of their lives, will grow in holiness day by day through these very situations, if their accept all of them with faith from the hand of their heavenly Father..."

<< 1 2 3 4 5