Essentials of Religious Life
God calls each one of us through our birth and baptism to love and serve Him and each other. Jesus came to show us how to love. He is the ultimate example and source of love. Only in loving God and our fellow human beings as he did is there true happiness (peace, joy) and meaning in life.
This is the basic life mission of all people: to love God and each other. God calls us to do this in four basic ways of life: MARRIAGE, SINGLE LIFE, PRIESTHOOD and RELIGIOUS LIFE.
There are many Religious Orders in the Catholic Church but there are a few essential things that they all have in common. These essential elements make up Religious Life, define what it is and distinguishes it from other vocations (such as Marriage or the Single Life).
Definition of Religious Life
Religious are men and women who
- by professing vows and living communally
- dedicate their whole lives to loving and serving God, the Church and all people
- through prayer and ministry.
This definition brings out these basic elements of Religious life. Let’s briefly have a closer look at each part of this definition.
Vows
The first essential characteristic of Religious life is the vows. The vows are the WAY or the MEANS by which Religious dedicate their lives to God. A vow is a solemn promise to God. All Religious profess three vows: Chastity, Poverty and Obedience. Let’s explore each vow
CHASTITY
The vow of Chastity takes its inspiration from Jesus’ life as a single person who remained unmarried. Jesus taught us to respect and honor every person.
All Christians, then, are called to be chaste but Religious go beyond this. Following the example of Jesus, they not only live a chaste life but also surrender the possibility of marriage and family (Celibacy).
POVERTY
The vow of Poverty takes its inspiration from Jesus’ simple life style and his teaching that wealth and possessions can distract us from what is really important and meaningful - which is to love God and each other.
All Christians, then, are called to live simply but Religious go beyond this. Following the example of Jesus they not only to live simply but they surrender the right of personal ownership sharing all things in common in there Order.
OBEDIENCE
The vow of Obedience finds its inspiration in Jesus’ obedience to God the Father even when it meant his death on the cross. Jesus taught that that true happiness only comes from doing God’s will.
All people are called to be obedient to God but Religious go beyond this. Following the example of Jesus they are obedient not only to God but also to the authorities of their Order. Of course, Religious are not obliged to do anything that is immoral, illegal, dangerous or against their conscience. Further more, a new assignment is always given in process of consultation, discussion, discernment.
The vow implies that Religious are to be open, receptive, ready and eager to respond to the will of God especially as it come to them through those in authority in the Order (Superiors). The vow of obedience makes the Religious ready to go wherever they are needed whenever they are needed. It is the gift of complete availability and flexibility to respond to the will of God, completely at His service.
Why the Vows - Freedom From Secular Obligations
For the REASON or PURPOSE for why Religious take these vows we go to the example of Jesus. Jesus lived a simple life (Poverty), a single life (Chastity) and an obedient life (Obedience). He lived this way so to be FREE of certain OBLIGATIONS of normal life so that he could concentrate his time and energy on loving God, and bringing that love to all people.
Love is the motive why Jesus lived this way and love is the motive behind the vows. Each vow FREES UP the Religious of certain obligations so that they can love in a special, radical way.
The vow of Chastity frees up a Religious from obligations involved with marriage and raising a family. The vow of Poverty frees the Religious from the obligations toward and preoccupation with material possessions. And the vow of Obedience frees a Religious from the human tendency to always put his/her own will first before God’s will.
Prayer and Ministry
LOVE is the motive for the Vows. Religious take the vows so that they can love God, His Church and all people in a special, radical way. Jesus expressed this love in two ways and after His example, these two ways are the major occupations of Religious Life. They are: 1.) Prayer , 2.) Ministry. This is what Religious “do”.
Prayer
There are many places in the Gospels were we see Jesus praying (in the Temple, synagogues and alone in silence and solitude of nature).
The very source of Jesus’ life was his intimate communion with God in prayer. Prayer, therefore, is the source of Religious Life. It is, in fact, the most important of all the activities that Religious do.
In prayer Religious endeavor to 1.) Cultivate a deep relationship and communion with God and 2.) Pray for all people (intercessory prayer). These are the two duties of prayer in Religious Life.
They do this through 1.) public, communal prayer and in 2.) private or personal prayer.
PUBLIC / COMMUNAL PRAYER
Community prayer consists of: 1.) The daily celebration of the Eucharist, which is the centre of the prayer life and 2.) the Liturgy of the Hours. This is primarily the praying of the Psalms. The main times that the Religious community meet to pray are Morning, Noon, Evening, and Night but some communities pray up to seven times daily.
PRIVATE / PERSONAL PRAYER
Each Religious also cultivates a personal, private prayer life. Each day they spend some time alone with God. Meditating on the Gospel reading for the Mass of the day is the most important form of personal prayer.
Ministry
Jesus also expressed this love through ministry. Throughout the Gospels we read of Jesus healing and helping people. Therefore after the example of Jesus’ life, ministry is the second occupation of Religious Life. The way that Religious love is by serving - in other words, by doing ministry.
Religious are involved in every type of ministry, wherever there is a need. They are involved in: teaching, nursing, and health services, parishes, retreats centers, counseling and spiritual direction, chaplaincy (school, hospital, military, prison), working with the poor (street ministry / soup kitchens) and youth ministry. This is just an example of the many ministries in which Religious are involved in.
Community
All this prayer and work would be very challenging if done alone. But Religious live communally. The communal aspect of Religious Life is inspired by Jesus’ intense life with his Disciples.
By living in community Religious are able to support and encourage each other in their prayer and ministry. They work and recreate with each other. By living with people of all type of personalities and ages, God challenges the Religious to come out of his selfishness.
Conclusion
Jesus is the model for Religious Life and His life is its pattern. The three vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience were inspired by Jesus simple, single and obedient life style. The purpose of the vows is to free up Religious so that they can love in a special, radical way through prayer and ministry. All this is done in supportive community that was Inspired by Jesus’ communal life with his Disciples.
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