Lesson 6
Serving in God’s Kingdom
What is a vocation? A vocation is the calling that we have in this life. Some people are called to be ordained ministers of the Church such as bishops, priests and deacons. People become ordained ministers of the Church through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Other people are called to be married through the Sacrament of Matrimony, and they become fathers and mothers of their own families. Still other people are called to live together in religious communities as religious brothers and nuns.
Whichever vocation a person is called to, each one of us is called to seek the Kingdom of God by living our lives according to God’s will.
In marriage, a man and a woman make a lifelong commitment to love and respect each other. This commitment is more than just a contract between two people; it is a holy covenant sealed by God. The couple’s love for each other is a sign of God’s love for them. In the Gospels, Jesus elevated marriage to the dignity of a Sacrament when He said: “They are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” (Matthew 19:6). Read the section on what Jesus said about marriage and divorce in Matthew 19:1-12. Marriage is a serious commitment; therefore, couples considering marriage should be well prepared. To be joined together in the presence of Christ, the man and woman must freely choose to marry, promise to be faithful to each other, and raise their children in the Catholic faith.
Ordained ministers of the church undertake a sacred mission to serve the faithful. Priests are given the responsibility to oversee a parish, instruct the people in the faith, and to lead the people in prayer and worship. Bishops oversee a diocese, which is a geographical area consisting of many parishes. Only bishops and priests can preside at Mass and consecrate the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. Similarly, only bishops and priests can bring God’s healing and forgiveness to people through the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. On the other hand, deacons are ordained to assist the bishop and priests. Deacons serve the people by assisting in liturgies; they may also perform the rites of baptism, marriage and funerals, and be involved in various other church ministries.
Questions:
- What is a vocation? Name two kinds of vocations.
- True or False. Each one of us is called to live our lives according to God’s will.
- True or False. Marriage is only a contract between two people.
- What are the three requirements of the Sacrament of Matrimony?
- What are some ways in which deacons serve the people?