This statement makes sense of our Creed because it is the only logical outcome of the profession of faith that “through Him all things were created”. Therefore, if Christ is the head and the Church is His Body, then at the end of time, whatever remains, or rather, whoever remains, belongs to the Body which is the Church. This where we find it hard to comprehend. What about those who do not believe or are of another faith tradition?
This notion of belonging to Christ goes with the territory that the Church, by nature, is missionary. All things are to be reconciled in Christ is the reason why the Church has a mission to share the Gospel and to reshape mankind as a whole into the Body of Christ. For this purpose, each faithful, concretely is part of this endeavour. Our talents are not necessarily restricted to the service of the Church. We are always serving Christ in our capacity as His Body in every place and in all capacity. The only challenge is to become more aware of it.
Are we the same in our work place or at home? These are the basic two areas where we move and have our beings. For the younger ones, they move between the schools or the universities and home. Do people recognise us? Recently we carried out a programme of plogging. The point is that many of our neighbours may have never read the Bible or have the chance to encounter Sacred Scripture. But many would have had countless chances to come across Christians like us. We might just be the only Bible that the Cathedral’s neighbours read. In fact, one of them reads us loud and clear because he or she has placed a large reminder on their fence: No parking for Church members.
The sign though unwelcoming is a humbling reminder. When queueing up, driving, working, interacting, do people feel that we are different or are their experiences of us more of the same as everywhere else? Today’s Prophet was called out of nowhere. Amos was not thinking of anything close to being called let alone being a prophet. And yet, God summoned him. Given that the 2nd Reading is God’s blueprint for the entire creation, then we can safely conclude that everyone has been chosen and sent.
What does it mean to be chosen and sent? The disciples are called Apostles because the word signifies that they have been sent. We are sent and this is where we might take a moment to think of how we are sent.
Today, to speak of vocation, that to be called and sent, the understanding is rather restricted. The word “vocation” itself suggests of priestly or religious calling. But it is not. In the past, the notion involves the dedication of one’s entire life. For example, sons used to take on their father’s trade. In a way, they inherit a tradition through which they learn to sharpen or perfect a craft. Craftsmanship is a way of being which contributes to the good of the whole or the well-being of the community. Today we have, in a way, lost this idea of calling and the consequent dedication to craftsmanship. It may survive in some professions like doctors and teachers etc. But by and large, our workforce takes its inspiration from career moves in the direction of monetary gain. The notion of calling has taken on a rather professional turn that is driven by financial considerations. Let it be clear that nothing is wrong with earning more but what has happened is that both financial benefits and self-fulfilment have become the main priorities for the way we organise our lives.
Teachers of old can resonate with the idea of a life-long vocation or surgeons too, who have honed their skills. We all have full of admiration for many teachers and doctors who have dedicated their entire lives to public service. In these two examples, we have a description of how vocation functions. Teachers or doctors practise their “crafts” not for the sake of money alone but for the excellence of our craftsmanship. In that way, the excellence becomes a part of their contributions to regenerating or recreating the world. Society has lost that sense of vocation today. The fact that artisanal products cost so much more is possibly a remnant of this form of thought.
In other words, excellence in craftsmanship is a reminder that everything we do becomes a part of Christ’s mission to reconcile the world. It is not the sum of money that determines how important a work is but rather how excellent one performs it. That means even the lowest paid worker has a role to play in society. This concept is lost if one were to move from a job to another in search of better pay. Again this is not a critique of career change or advancement. When the pay is bad and the work is boring, it is not easy to appreciate what we do as part of recreating the world. In fact, the world is trundling along this narrow economic treadmill.
Creation is indeed moaning and groaning and waiting to be fully reconciled. Many of us who live in this country might feel a little less impressed by what is happening politically in this country. It is common for parents to encourage their children to migrate and not return here. The scope for both religious and racial reconciliation does seem like an impossibility. Yet this is where we must rethink our contribution to God’s reconciliation of the world to Himself. Everyone is important and each one of us has a role to play.
In this sense, the universal call to holiness put forth by Vatican II is not something novel. Holiness is simply the expression of our baptismal commitment. Therefore, every baptised person is a priest who prays for the Church and the world. Every baptised person is a prophet who speaks on behalf of God. Every baptised person is a king who serves. Whatever station in life that we have been placed in makes each one a part of Christ’s work of leading creation back to the Father.
