LUMEN GENTIUM
CHAPTER V
THE UNIVERSAL CALL TO HOLINESS IN THE CHURCH
39. The Church, whose mystery is being set forth by this Sacred Synod, is
believed to be indefectibly holy. Indeed Christ, the Son of God, who with the
Father and the Spirit is praised as "uniquely holy," (1*) loved the
Church as His bride, delivering Himself up for her. He did this that He might
sanctify her.(214) He united her to Himself as His own body and brought it to
perfection by the gift of the Holy Spirit for God's glory. Therefore in the
Church, everyone whether belonging to the hierarchy, or being cared for by it,
is called to holiness, according to the saying of the Apostle: "For this is
the will of God, your sanctification".(215) However, this holiness of the
Church is unceasingly manifested, and must be manifested, in the fruits of grace
which the Spirit produces in the faithful; it is expressed in many ways in
individuals, who in their walk of life, tend toward the perfection of charity,
thus causing the edification of others; in a very special way this (holiness)
appears in the practice of the counsels, customarily called
"evangelical." This practice of the counsels, under the impulsion of
the Holy Spirit, undertaken by many Christians, either privately or in a
Church-approved condition or state of life, gives and must give in the world an
outstanding witness and example of this same holiness.
40. The Lord Jesus, the divine Teacher and Model of all perfection, preached
holiness of life to each and everyone of His disciples of every condition. He
Himself stands as the author and consumator of this holiness of life: "Be
you therefore perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect".(216)(2*)
Indeed He sent the Holy Spirit upon all men that He might move them inwardly to
love God with their whole heart and their whole soul, with all their mind and
all their strength(217) and that they might love each other as Christ loves
them.(218) The followers of Christ are called by God, not because of their
works, but according to His own purpose and grace. They are justified in the
Lord Jesus, because in the baptism of faith they truly become sons of God and
sharers in the divine nature. In this way they are really made holy. Then too,
by God's gift, they must hold on to and complete in their lives this holiness
they have received. They are warned by the Apostle to live "as becomes
saints",(219) and to put on "as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved a
heart of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience",(220) and to
possess the fruit of the Spirit in holiness.(221) Since truly we all offend in
many things (222) we all need God's mercies continually and we all must daily
pray: "Forgive us our debts"(223)(3*)
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;(4*) by this holiness as such a more human manner of
living is promoted in this earthly society. In order that the faithful may reach
this perfection, they must use their strength accordingly as they have received
it, as a gift from Christ. They must follow in His footsteps and conform
themselves to His image seeking the will of the Father in all things. They must
devote themselves with all their being to the glory of God and the service of
their neighbor. In this way, the holiness of the People of God will grow into an
abundant harvest of good, as is admirably shown by the life of so many saints in
Church history.
41. The classes and duties of life are many, but holiness is one-that
sanctity which is cultivated by all who are moved by the Spirit of God, and who
obey the voice of the Father and worship God the Father in spirit and in truth.
These people follow the poor Christ, the humble and cross-bearing Christ in
order to be worthy of being sharers in His glory. Every person must walk
unhesitatingly according to his own personal gifts and duties in the path of
living faith, which arouses hope and works through charity.
In the first place, the shepherds of Christ's flock must holily and eagerly,
humbly and courageously carry out their ministry, in imitation of the eternal
high Priest, the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls. They ought to fulfill this
duty in such a way that it will be the principal means also of their own
sanctification. Those chosen for the fullness of the priesthood are granted the
ability of exercising the perfect duty of pastoral charity by the grace of the
sacrament of Orders. This perfect duty of pastoral charity (5*) is exercised in
every form of episcopal care and service, prayer, sacrifice and preaching. By
this same sacramental grace, they are given the courage necessary to lay down
their lives for their sheep, and the ability of promoting greater holiness in
the Church by their daily example, having become a pattern for their flock.(224)
Priests, who resemble bishops to a certain degree in their participation of
the sacrament of Orders, form the spiritual crown of the bishops.(6*) They
participate in the grace of their office and they should grow daily in their
love of God and their neighbor by the exercise of their office through Christ,
the eternal and unique Mediator. They should preserve the bond of priestly
communion, and they should abound in every spiritual good and thus present to
all men a living witness to God.(7*) All this they should do in emulation of
those priests who often, down through the course of the centuries, left an
outstanding example of the holiness of humble and hidden service. Their praise
lives on in the Church of God. By their very office of praying and offering
sacrifice for their own people and the entire people of God, they should rise to
greater holiness. Keeping in mind what they are doing and imitating what they
are handling,(8*) these priests, in their apostolic labors, rather than being
ensnared by perils and hardships, should rather rise to greater holiness through
these perils and hardships. They should ever nourish and strengthen their action
from an abundance of contemplation, doing all this for the comfort of the entire
Church of God. All priests, and especially those who are called "diocesan
priests," due to the special title of their ordination, should keep
continually before their minds the fact that their faithful loyalty toward and
their generous cooperation with their bishop is of the greatest value in their
growth in holiness.
Ministers of lesser rank are also sharers in the mission and grace of the
Supreme Priest. In the first place among these ministers are deacons, who, in as
much as they are dispensers of Christ's mysteries and servants of the
Church,(9*) should keep themselves free from every vice and stand before men as
personifications of goodness and friends of God.(225) Clerics, who are called by
the Lord and are set aside as His portion in order to prepare themselves for the
various ministerial offices under the watchful eye of spiritual shepherds, are
bound to bring their hearts and minds into accord with this special election
(which is theirs). They will accomplish this by their constancy in prayer, by
their burning love, and by their unremitting recollection of whatever is true,
just and of good repute. They will accomplish all this for the glory and honor
of God. Besides these already named, there are also laymen, chosen of God and
called by the bishop. These laymen spend themselves completely in apostolic
labors, working the Lord's field with much success.(10*).
Furthermore, married couples and Christian parents should follow their own
proper path (to holiness) by faithful love. They should sustain one another in
grace throughout the entire length of their lives. They should embue their
offspring, lovingly welcomed as God's gift, with Christian doctrine and the
evangelical virtues. In this manner, they offer all men the example of
unwearying and generous love; in this way they build up the brotherhood of
charity; in so doing, they stand as the witnesses and cooperators in the
fruitfulness of Holy Mother Church; by such lives, they are a sign and a
participation in that very love, with which Christ loved His Bride and for which
He delivered Himself up for her.(11*) A like example, but one given in a
different way, is that offered by widows and single people, who are able to make
great contributions toward holiness and apostolic endeavor in the Church.
Finally, those who engage in labor-and frequently it is of a heavy nature-
should better themselves by their human labors. They should be of aid to their
fellow citizens. They should raise all of society, and even creation itself, to
a better mode of existence. Indeed, they should imitate by their lively charity,
in their joyous hope and by their voluntary sharing of each others' burdens, the
very Christ who plied His hands with carpenter's tools and Who in union with His
Father, is continually working for the salvation of all men. In this, then,
their daily work they should climb to the heights of holiness and apostolic
activity.
May all those who are weighed down with poverty, infirmity and sickness, as
well as those who must bear various hardships or who suffer persecution for
justice sake-may they all know they are united with the suffering Christ in a
special way for the salvation of the world. The Lord called them blessed in His
Gospel and they are those whom "the God of all graces, who has called us
unto His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself, after we have suffered a
little while, perfect, strengthen and establish".(226)
Finally all Christ's faithful, whatever be the conditions, duties and
circumstances of their lives-and indeed through all these, will daily increase
in holiness, if they receive all things with faith from the hand of their
heavenly Father and if they cooperate with the divine will. In this temporal
service, they will manifest to all men the love with which God loved the world.
42. "God is love, and he who abides in love, abides in God and God in
Him".(227) But, God pours out his love into our hearts through the Holy
Spirit, Who has been given to us;(228) thus the first and most necessary gift is
love, by which we love God above all things and our neighbor because of God.
Indeed, in order that love, as good seed may grow and bring forth fruit in the
soul, each one of the faithful must willingly hear the Word of God and accept
His Will, and must complete what God has begun by their own actions with the
help of God's grace. These actions consist in the use of the sacraments and in a
special way the Eucharist, frequent participation in the sacred action of the
Liturgy, application of oneself to prayer, self-abnegation, lively fraternal
service and the constant exercise of all the virtues. For charity, as the bond
of perfection and the fullness of the law,(229) rules over all the means of
attaining holiness and gives life to these same means.(12*) It is charity which
guides us to our final end. It is the love of God and the love of one's neighbor
which points out the true disciple of Christ.
Since Jesus, the Son of God, manifested His charity by laying down His life
for us, so too no one has greater love than he who lays down his life for Christ
and His brothers.(230) From the earliest times, then, some Christians have been
called upon-and some will always be called upon-to give the supreme testimony of
this love to all men, but especially to persecutors. The Church, then, considers
martyrdom as an exceptional gift and as the fullest proof of love. By martyrdom
a disciple is transformed into an image of his Master by freely accepting death
for the salvation of the world -as well as his conformity to Christ in the
shedding of his blood. Though few are presented such an opportunity,
nevertheless all must be prepared to confess Christ before men. They must be
prepared to make this profession of faith even in the midst of persecutions,
which will never be lacking to the Church, in following the way of the cross.
Likewise, the holiness of the Church is fostered in a special way by the
observance of the counsels proposed in the Gospel by Our Lord to His
disciples.(13*) An eminent position among these is held by virginity or the
celibate state.(231) This is a precious gift of divine grace given by the Father
to certain souls,(232) whereby they may devote themselves to God alone the more
easily, due to an undivided heart. (14*) This perfect continency, out of desire
for the kingdom of heaven, has always been held in particular honor in the
Church. The reason for this was and is that perfect continency for the love of
God is an incentive to charity, and is certainly a particular source of
spiritual fecundity in the world.
The Church continually keeps before it the warning of the Apostle which moved
the faithful to charity, exhorting them to experience personally what Christ
Jesus had known within Himself. This was the same Christ Jesus, who
"emptied Himself, taking the nature of a slave . . . becoming obedient to
death",(233) and because of us "being rich, he became poor".(234)
Because the disciples must always offer an imitation of and a testimony to the
charity and humility of Christ, Mother Church rejoices at finding within her
bosom men and women who very closely follow their Saviour who debased Himself to
our comprehension. There are some who, in their freedom as sons of God, renounce
their own wills and take upon themselves the state of poverty. Still further,
some become subject of their own accord to another man, in the matter of
perfection for love of God. This is beyond the measure of the commandments, but
is done in order to become more fully like the obedient Christ.(15*)
Therefore, all the faithful of Christ are invited to strive for the holiness
and perfection of their own proper state. Indeed they have an obligation to so
strive. Let all then have care that they guide aright their own deepest
sentiments of soul. Let neither the use of the things of this world nor
attachment to riches, which is against the spirit of evangelical poverty, hinder
them in their quest for perfect love Let them heed the admonition of the Apostle
to those who use this world; let them not come to terms with this world; for
this world, as we see it, is passing away.(235)(16*)
LUMEN GENTIUM
CAPUT V
DE UNIVERSALI VOCATIONE AD SANCTITATEM IN ECCLESIA
39.
Ecclesia, cuius mysterium a Sacra Synodo proponitur, indefectibiliter sancta
creditur. Christus enim, Dei Filius, qui cum Patre et Spiritu «solus Sanctus»
celebratur,[121] Ecclesiam tamquam sponsam suam dilexit,
Seipsum tradens pro ea, ut illam sanctificaret (cf. Eph. 5, 25-26), eamque Sibi
ut corpus suum coniunxit atque Spiritus Sancti dono cumulavit, ad gloriam Dei.
Ideo in Ecclesia omnes, sive ad Hierarchiam pertinent sive ab ea pascuntur, ad
sanctitatem vocantur, iuxta illud Apostoli: «Haec est enim voluntas Dei,
sanctificatio vestra» (1 Thess. 4, 3; cf. Eph. 1, 4). Haec autem Ecclesiae
sanctitas in gratiae fructibus quos Spiritus in fidelibus producit, incessanter
manifestatur et manifestari debet; multiformiter exprimitur apud singulos, qui
in suo vitae ordine ad perfectionem caritatis, aedificantes alios, tendunt;
proprio quodam modo apparet in praxi consiliorum, quae evangelica appellari
consueverunt. Quae consiliorum praxis, Spiritu Sancto impellente, a multis
christianis assumpta, sive privatim sive in conditione vel statu in Ecclesia
sancitis, praeclarum in mundo fert, et ferre oportet, eiusdem sanctitatis
testimonium et exemplum.
40. Omnis
perfectionis divinus Magister et Exemplar, Dominus Iesus, sanctitatem vitae,
cuius Ipse et auctor et consummator exstat, omnibus et singulis discipulis suis
cuiuscumque conditionis praedicavit: «Estote ergo vos perfecti, sicut et Pater
vester coelestis perfectus est» (Mt. 5, 48).[122] In
omnes enim Spiritum Sanctum misit, qui eos intus moveat, ut Deum diligant ex
toto corde, ex tota anima, ex tota mente et ex tota virtute sua (cf. Mc. 12,
30), et ut invicem se diligant sicut Christus eos dilexit (cf. Io. 13, 34; 15,
12). Christi asseclae a Deo
non secundum opera sua, sed secundum propositum et gratiam Eius vocati atque in
Iesu Domino iustificati, in fidei baptismate vere filii Dei et consortes divinae
naturae, ideoque reapse sancti effecti sunt. Eos proinde oportet
sanctificationem quam acceperunt, Deo dante, vivendo tenere atque perficere. Ab
Apostolo monentur, ut vivant «sicut [45] decet sanctos» (Eph. 5, 3), et
induant «sicut electi Dei, sancti et dilecti, viscera misericordiae,
benignitatem, humilitatem, modestiam, patientiam» (Col. 3, 12), fructusque
Spiritus habeant in sanctificationem (cf. Gal. 5, 22; Rom. 6, 22). Cum vero in
multis offendimus omnes (cf. Iac. 3, 2), misericordiae Dei iugiter egemus atque
orare quotidie debemus: «Et dimitte nobis debita nostra» (Mt. 6, 12).[123]
Cunctis
proinde perspicuum est, omnes christifideles cuiuscumque status vel ordinis ad
vitae christianae plenitudinem et caritatis perfectionem vocari,[124]
qua sanctitate, in societate quoque terrena, humanior vivendi modus promovetur.
Ad quam perfectionem adipiscendam fideles vires secundum mensuram donationis
Christi acceptas adhibeant, ut Eius vestigia sequentes Eiusque imagini conformes
effecti, voluntatem Patris in omnibus obsequentes, gloriae Dei et servitio
proximi toto animo sese devoveant. Ita sanctitas Populi Dei in abundantes
fructus excrescet, sicut in Ecclesiae historia per tot Sanctorum vitam
luculenter commonstratur.
41. In
variis vitae generibus et officiis una sanctitas excolitur ab omnibus, qui a
Spiritu Dei aguntur, atque voci Patris oboedientes Deumque Patrem in spiritu et
veritate adorantes, Christum pauperem, humilem, et crucem baiulantem sequuntur,
ut gloriae Eius mereantur esse consortes. Unusquisque vero secundum propria dona
et munera per viam fidei vivae, quae spem excitat et per caritatem operatur,
incunctanter incedere debet.
Gregis
Christi Pastores imprimis oportet, ut ad imaginem summi et aeterni Sacerdotis,
Pastoris et Episcopi animarum nostrarum, sancte et alacriter, humiliter et
fortiter exsequantur ministerium suum, quod ita adimpletum, etiam pro eis erit
praecelsum sanctificationis medium. Ad plenitudinem sacerdotii electi,
sacramentali gratia donantur, ut orando, sacrificando et praedicando, per omnem
formam episcopalis curae et servitii, perfectum pastoralis caritatis munus
exerceant,[125] [46] animam suam pro ovibus ponere ne
timeant et forma facti gregis (cf. I Pt. 5, 3), Ecclesiam etiam exemplo suo ad
maiorem in dies sanctitatem promoveant.
Presbyteri
in similitudinem ordinis Episcoporum, quorum spiritualem coronam efformant,[126]
de eorum muneris gratia participantes per Christum, aeternum et unicum
Mediatorem, quotidiano officii sui exercitio in Dei proximique amore crescant,
communionis sacerdotalis vinculum servent, in omni bono spirituali abundent
atque vivum Dei testimonium omnibus praestent,[127]
aemuli eorum sacerdotum, qui saeculorum decursu, in humili saepe et abscondito
servitio praeclarum sanctitatis specimen reliquerunt. Quorum laus est in
Ecclesia Dei. Pro plebe sua et toto Populo Dei ex officio precantes et
sacrificium offerentes, agnoscendo quod agunt et imitando quod tractant,[128]
nedum apostolicis curis, periculis et aerumnis impediantur, per ea potius ad
altiorem sanctitatem ascendant, ex abundantia contemplationis actionem suam
nutriendo et fovendo, in oblectamentum totius Ecclesiae Dei. Omnes presbyteri et
speciatim illi qui peculiari suae ordinationis titulo sacerdotes dioecesani
vocantur, meminerint quantum ad suam sanctificationem conferant cum suo Episcopo
fidelis coniunctio atque generosa cooperatio.
Missionis
autem et gratiae supremi Sacerdotis peculiari modo participes sunt inferioris
quoque ordinis ministri, imprimis Diaconi, qui mysteriis Christi et Ecclesiae
servientes,[129] ab omni vitio puros se custodire atque
Deo placere et omne bonum coram hominibus providere debent (cf. 1 Tim. 3, 8-10
et 12-13). Clerici, qui a Domino vocati et in partem Eius sepositi, sub
vigilantia Pastorum ad officia ministrorum se praeparant, mentes et corda sua
tam praeclarae electioni conformare tenentur, in oratione assidui, amore
ferventes, quaecumque sunt vera, iusta et bonae famae cogitantes, omnia in
gloriam et honorem Dei perficientes. Quibus accedunt illi a Deo electi laici,
qui, ut plene se dedant apostolicis operibus, ab Episcopo vocantur et in agro
Domini cum multo fructu laborant.[130] [47]
Coniuges
autem parentesque christiani oportet ut propriam viam sequentes, amore fideli,
totius vitae decursu se invicem in gratia sustineant, et prolem amanter a Deo
acceptam christianis doctrinis et evangelicis virtutibus imbuant. Ita enim
exemplum indefessi et generosi amoris omnibus praebent, fraternitatem caritatis
aedificant, et foecunditatis Matris Ecclesiae testes et cooperatores exsistunt,
in signum et participationem illius dilectionis, qua Christus Sponsam suam
dilexit Seque pro ea tradidit.[131] Simile exemplum alio
modo praebetur a viduis et innuptis, qui ad sanctitatem et operositatem in
Ecclesia, et ipsi haud parum conferre possunt. Ii vero, qui laboribus saepe
duris incumbunt, oportet ut humanis operibus seipsos perficiant, concives
adiuvent, totamque societatem et creationem ad meliorem statum promoveant, verum
etiam ut Christum, cuius manus fabrilibus se exercuerunt et qui semper cum Patre
ad salutem omnium operatur, in actuosa caritate imitentur, spe gaudentes, alter
alterius onera portantes, atque ipso suo quotidiano labore ad altiorem ascendant
sanctitatem etiam apostolicam.
Specialiter
etiam Christo pro salute mundi patienti se uniri sciant ii, qui paupertate,
infirmitate, morbo, variisque aerumnis opprimuntur, vel persecutionem propter
iustitiam patiuntur, quos Dominus in Evangelio beatos praedicavit et quos «Deus
... omnis gratiae, qui vocavit nos in aeternam suam gloriam in Christo Iesu,
modicum passos, ipse perficiet, confirmabit solidabitque» (I Pt. 5, 10).
Omnes
igitur christifideles in vitae suae conditionibus, officiis vel circumstantiis,
et per illa omnia, in dies magis sanctificabuntur, si cuncta e manu Patris
coelestis cum fide suscipiunt et voluntati divinae cooperantur, caritatem qua
Deus dilexit mundum in ipso temporali servitio omnibus manifestando.
42. «Deus
caritas est, et qui manet in caritate, in Deo manet, et Deus in eo» (I Io. 1,
16). Deus autem caritatem suam in cordibus nostris diffudit per Spiritum Sanctum
qui datus est nobis (cf. Rom. 5, 5); ideoque donum primum et maxime necessarium
est caritas, qua Deum super omnia et proximum propter Illum diligimus. Ut vero
caritas tamquam bonum semen in anima increscat et fructificet, unusquisque
fidelis debet verbum Dei libenter audire Eiusque voluntatem, opitulante Eius
gratia, opere complere, sacramentis, praesertim Eucharistiae, et sacris
actionibus frequenter participare, seseque orationi, sui ipsius [48] abnegationi,
fraterno actuoso servitio et omnium virtutum exercitationi constanter applicare.
Caritas enim, ut vinculum perfectionis et plenitudo legis (cf. Col. 3, 14; Rom.
13, 10), omnia sanctificationis media regit, informat ad finemque perducit.[132]
Unde caritate tum in Deum tum in proximum signatur verus Christi discipulus.
Cum Iesus,
Dei Filius, caritatem suam manifestaverit, animam suam pro nobis ponendo, nemo
maiorem habet dilectionem, quam qui animam suam pro Eo et fratribus suis ponit
(cf. I Io. 3, 16; Io. 15, 13). Ad hoc ergo maximum amoris testimonium reddendum
coram omnibus, praesertim persecutoribus, aliqui christiani iam a primo tempore
vocati sunt et semper vocabuntur. Martyrium igitur, quo discipulus Magistro pro
mundi salute mortem libere accipienti assimilatur, Eique in effusione sanguinis
conformatur, ab Ecclesia eximium donum supremaque probatio caritatis aestimatur.
Quod si paucis datur, omnes tamen parati sint oportet, Christum coram hominibus
confiteri, Eumque inter persecutiones, quae Ecclesiae numquam desunt, in via
crucis subsequi.
Sanctitas
Ecclesiae item speciali modo fovetur multiplicibus consiliis, quae Dominus in
Evangelio discipulis suis observanda proponit.[133] Inter
quae eminet pretiosum gratiae divinae donum, quod a Patre quibusdam datur (cf.
Mt. 19, 11; 1 Cor. 7, 7), ut in virginitate vel coelibatu facilius indiviso
corde (cf. 1 Cor. 7, 32-34) Deo soli se devoveant.[134]
Haec perfecta propter Regnum coelorum continentia semper in honore praecipuo ab
Ecclesia habita est, tamquam signum et stimulus caritatis, ac quidam peculiaris
fons spiritualis foecunditatis in mundo. Ecclesia etiam Apostoli monitionem
recogitat, qui fideles ad caritatem provocans, eos exhortatur, ut hoc in se
sentiant quod et in Christo Iesu, qui «semet ipsum exinanivit formam servi
accipiens, ... factus oboediens usque ad mortem» (Phil. 2, 7-8) et propter nos
«egenus factus est, cum esset dives» (2 Cor. 8, 9). Huius caritatis et
humilitatis Christi imitationem et testimonium cum a discipulis semper praeberi
necesse sit, gaudet Mater Ecclesia plures in sinu suo inveniri viros ac mulieres,
[49] qui exinanitionem Salvatoris pressius sequuntur et clarius demonstrant,
paupertatem in filiorum Dei libertate suscipientes et propriis voluntatibus
abrenuntiantes: illi scilicet sese homini propter Deum in re perfectionis ultra
mensuram praecepti subiiciunt, ut Christo oboedienti sese plenius conforment.[135]
Omnes
igitur christifideles ad sanctitatem et proprii status perfectionem prosequendam
invitantur et tenentur. Attendant igitur omnes, ut affectus suos recte dirigant,
ne usu rerum mundanarum et adhaesione ad divitias contra spiritum paupertatis
evangelicae a caritate perfecta prosequenda impediantur, monente Apostolo: Qui
utuntur hoc mundo, in eo ne sistant: praeterit enim figura huius mundi (cf. 1
Cor. 7, 31 gr.).[136]