CHAPTER I

CONFESSIO TRINITATIS
THE ORIGINS OF THE CONSECRATED LIFE
IN THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST
AND OF THE TRINITY
Icon of the Transfigured Christ
14. The evangelical basis of consecrated life is to be sought in the special relationship which Jesus, in his
earthly life, established with some of his disciples. He called them not only to welcome the Kingdom of God
into their own lives, but also to put their lives at its service, leaving everything behind and closely imitating
his own way of life.
Many of the baptized throughout history have been invited to live such a life "in the image of Christ". But
this is possible only on the basis of a special vocation and in virtue of a particular gift of the Spirit. For in
such a life baptismal consecration develops into a radical response in the following of Christ through
acceptance of the evangelical counsels, the first and essential of which is the sacred bond of chastity for the
sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.This special way of "following Christ", at the origin of which is always the
initiative of the Father, has an essential Christological and pneumatological meaning: it expresses in a
particularly vivid way the Trinitarian nature of the Christian life and it anticipates in a certain way
that eschatological fulfilment towards which the whole Church is tending.n the Gospel, many of Christ's
words and actions shed light on the meaning of this special vocation. But for an overall picture of its
essential characteristics, it is singularly helpful to fix our gaze on Christ's radiant face in the mystery of the
Transfiguration. A whole ancient spiritual tradition refers to this "icon" when it links the contemplative life
to the prayer of Jesus "on the mountain."ab ipso Domino familiarissime celebrata, ab eius discipulis ipso
praesente concupita: cuius transfigurationis gloriam cum vidissent qui cum eo in monte sancto erant,
continuo Petrus ... optimum sibi iudicavit in hoc semper esse" (Ad Fratres de Monte Dei, I, 1: PL 184, 310).]
Even the "active" dimensions of consecrated life can in a way be included here, for the Transfiguration is not
only the revelation of Christ's glory but also a preparation for facing Christ's Cross. It involves both "going
up the mountain" and "coming down the mountain". The disciples who have enjoyed this intimacy with the
Master, surrounded for a moment by the splendour of the Trinitarian life and of the communion of saints,
and as it were caught up in the horizon of eternity, are immediately brought back to daily reality, where they
see "Jesus only", in the lowliness of his human nature, and are invited to return to the valley, to share with
him the toil of God's plan and to set off courageously on the way of the Cross.
"And he was transfigured before them ..."
15. And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high
mountain apart. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments
became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter
said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and
one for Moses and one for Elijah". He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a
voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him". When the
disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with fear. But Jesus came and touched them,
saying, "Rise, and have no fear". And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son
of man is raised from the dead" (Mt 17:1-9).The event of the Transfiguration marks a decisive moment in the
ministry of Jesus. It is a revelatory event which strengthens the faith in the disciples' hearts, prepares them
for the tragedy of the Cross and prefigures the glory of the Resurrection. This mystery is constantly relived
by the Church, the people on its way to the eschatological encounter with its Lord. Like the three chosen
disciples, the Church contemplates the transfigured face of Christ in order to be confirmed in faith and to
avoid being dismayed at his disfigured face on the Cross. In both cases, she is the Bride before her Spouse,
sharing in his mystery and surrounded by his light.This light shines on all the Church's children. All are
equally called to follow Christ, to discover in him the ultimate meaning of their lives, until they are able to
say with the Apostle: "For to me to live is Christ" (Phil 1:21). But those who are called to the consecrated
life have a special experience of the light which shines forth from the Incarnate Word. For the profession of
the evangelical counsels makes them a kind of sign and prophetic statement for the community of the
brethren and for the world; consequently they can echo in a particular way the ecstatic words spoken by
Peter: "Lord, it is well that we are here" (Mt 17:4). These words bespeak the Christocentric orientation of the
whole Christian life. But they also eloquently express the radical nature of the vocation to the consecrated
life: how good it is for us to be with you, to devote ourselves to you, to make you the one focus of our lives!
Truly those who have been given the grace of this special communion of love with Christ feel as it were
caught up in his splendour: he is "the fairest of the sons of men" (Ps 45:2), the One beyond compare.
"This is my beloved Son": listen to him!
16. The three disciples caught up in ecstasy hear the Father's call to listen to Christ, to place all their trust in
him, to make him the centre of their lives. The words from on high give new depth to the invitation by
which Jesus himself, at the beginning of his public life, called them to follow him, to leave their ordinary
lives behind and to enter into a close relationship to him. It is precisely this special grace of intimacy which,
in the consecrated life, makes possible and even demands the total gift of self in the profession of the
evangelical counsels. The counsels, more than a simple renunciation, are a specific acceptance of the
mystery of Christ, lived within the Church.
In the unity of the Christian life, the various vocations are like so many rays of the one light of Christ, whose
radiance "brightens the countenance of the Church."The laity, by virtue of the secular character of their
vocation, reflect the mystery of the Incarnate Word particularly insofar as he is the Alpha and the Omega of
the world, the foundation and measure of the value of all created things. Sacred ministers, for their part, are
living images of Christ the Head and Shepherd who guides his people during this time of "already and not
yet", as they await his coming in glory. It is the duty of the consecrated life to show that the Incarnate Son of
God is the eschatological goal towards which all things tend, the splendour before which every other light
pales, and the infinite beauty which alone can fully satisfy the human heart. In the consecrated life, then, it is
not only a matter of following Christ with one's whole heart, of loving him "more than father or mother,
more than son or daughter" (cf. Mt 10:37) — for this is required of every disciple — but of living and
expressing this by conforming one's whole existence to Christ in an all-encompassing commitment which
foreshadows the eschatological perfection, to the extent that this is possible in time and in accordance with
the different charisms.By professing the evangelical counsels, consecrated persons not only make Christ the
whole meaning of their lives but strive to reproduce in themselves, as far as possible, "that form of life
which he, as the Son of God, accepted in entering this world."By embracing chastity, they make their own
the pure love of Christ and proclaim to the world that he is the Only-Begotten Son who is one with the
Father (cf. Jn 10:30, 14:11). By imitating Christ's poverty, they profess that he is the Son who receives
everything from the Father, and gives everything back to the Father in love (cf. Jn 17:7, 10). By accepting,
through the sacrifice of their own freedom, the mystery of Christ's filial obedience, they profess that he is
infinitely beloved and loving, as the One who delights only in the will of the Father (cf. Jn 4:34), to whom
he is perfectly united and on whom he depends for everything.By this profound "configuration" to the
mystery of Christ, the consecrated life brings about in a special way that confessio Trinitatis which is the
mark of all Christian life; it acknowledges with wonder the sublime beauty of God, Father, Son and Holy
Spirit, and bears joyful witness to his loving concern for every human being.
I. IN PRAISE OF THE TRINITY
"A Patre ad Patrem": God's initiative
17. Contemplation of the glory of the Lord Jesus in the icon of the Transfiguration reveals to consecrated
persons first of all the Father, the Creator and Giver of every good thing, who draws his creatures to himself
(cf. Jn 6:44) with a special love and for a special mission. "This is my beloved Son: listen to him!"
(cf. Mt 17:5). In response to this call and the interior attraction which accompanies it, those who are called
entrust themselves to the love of God who wishes them to be exclusively at his service, and they consecrate
themselves totally to him and to his plan of salvation (cf. 1 Cor 7:32-34).
This is the meaning of the call to the consecrated life: it is an initiative coming wholly from the Father
(cf. Jn 15:16), who asks those whom he has chosen to respond with complete and exclusive devotion.The
experience of this gracious love of God is so deep and so powerful that the person called senses the need to
respond by unconditionally dedicating his or her life to God, consecrating to him all things present and
future, and placing them in his hands. This is why, with Saint Thomas, we come to understand the identity
of the consecrated person, beginning with his or her complete self-offering, as being comparable to a
genuine holocaust.
"Per Filium": in the footsteps of the Son
18. The Son, who is the way which leads to the Father (cf. Jn 14:6), calls all those whom the Father has
given to him (cf. Jn 17:9) to make the following of himself the whole purpose of their lives. But of some,
those called to the consecrated life, he asks a total commitment, one which involves leaving everything
behind (cf. Mt 19:27) in order to live at his sideand to follow him wherever he goes (cf. Rev 14:4).
In the countenance of Jesus, the "image of the invisible God" (Col 1:15) and the reflection of the Father's
glory (cf. Heb 1:3), we glimpse the depths of an eternal and infinite love which is at the very root of our
being.Those who let themselves be seized by this love cannot help abandoning everything to follow him
(cf. Mk 1:16-20; 2:14; 10:21, 28). Like Saint Paul, they consider all else as loss "because of the surpassing
worth of knowing Jesus Christ", by comparison with which they do not hesitate to count all things as
"refuse", in order that they "may gain Christ" (Phil 3:8). They strive to become one with him, taking on his
mind and his way of life. This leaving of everything and following the Lord (cf. Lk 18:28) is a worthy
programme of life for all whom he calls, in every age.The evangelical counsels, by which Christ invites
some people to share his experience as the chaste, poor and obedient One, call for and make manifest in
those who accept them an explicit desire to be totally conformed to him. Living "in obedience, with nothing
of one's own and in chastity,"consecrated persons profess that Jesus is the model in whom every virtue
comes to perfection. His way of living in chastity, poverty and obedience appears as the most radical way of
living the Gospel on this earth, a way which may be called divine, for it was embraced by him, God and
man, as the expression of his relationship as the Only-Begotten Son with the Father and with the Holy Spirit.
This is why Christian tradition has always spoken of the objective superiority of the consecrated life.Nor can
it be denied that the practice of the evangelical counsels is also a particularly profound and fruitful way of
sharing in Christ's mission, in imitation of the example of Mary of Nazareth, the first disciple, who willingly
put herself at the service of God's plan by the total gift of self. Every mission begins with the attitude
expressed by Mary at the Annunciation: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me
according to your word" (Lk 1:38).
"In Spiritu": consecrated by the Holy Spirit
19. "A bright cloud overshadowed them" (Mt 17:5). A significant spiritual interpretation of the
Transfiguration sees this cloud as an image of the Holy Spirit.Like the whole of Christian life, the call to the
consecrated life is closely linked to the working of the Holy Spirit. In every age, the Spirit enables new men
and women to recognize the appeal of such a demanding choice. Through his power, they relive, in a way,
the experience of the Prophet Jeremiah: "You have seduced me, Lord, and I have let myself be seduced"
(Jer 20:7). It is the Spirit who awakens the desire to respond fully; it is he who guides the growth of this
desire, helping it to mature into a positive response and sustaining it as it is faithfully translated into action;
it is he who shapes and moulds the hearts of those who are called, configuring them to Christ, the chaste,
poor and obedient One, and prompting them to make his mission their own. By allowing themselves to be
guided by the Spirit on an endless journey of purification, they become, day after day, conformed to
Christ, the prolongation in history of a special presence of the Risen Lord.With penetrating insight, the
Fathers of the Church have called this spiritual path philokalia, or love of the divine beauty,which is the
reflection of the divine goodness. Those who by the power of the Holy Spirit are led progressively into full
configuration to Christ reflect in themselves a ray of the unapproachable light. During their earthly
pilgrimage, they press on towards the inexhaustible Source of light. The consecrated life thus becomes a
particularly profound expression of the Church as the Bride who, prompted by the Spirit to imitate her
Spouse, stands before him "in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy
and without blemish" (Eph 5:27).The same Spirit, far from removing from the life of humanity those whom
the Father has called, puts them at the service of their brothers and sisters in accordance with their particular
state of life, and inspires them to undertake special tasks in response to the needs of the Church and the
world, by means of the charisms proper to the various Institutes. Hence many different forms of the
consecrated life have arisen, whereby the Church is "adorned by the various gifts of her children ... like a
bride made beautiful for her spouse (cf. Rev 21:2)"and is enriched by the means necessary for carrying out
her mission in the world.
The evangelical counsels, gift of the Trinity
20. The evangelical counsels are thus above all a gift of the Holy Trinity. The consecrated life proclaims
what the Father, through the Son and in the Spirit, brings about by his love, his goodness and his beauty. In
fact, "the religious state reveals the transcendence of the Kingdom of God and its requirements over all
earthly things. To all people it shows wonderfully at work within the Church the surpassing greatness of the
force of Christ the King and the boundless power of the Holy Spirit."The first duty of the consecrated life
is to make visible the marvels wrought by God in the frail humanity of those who are called. They bear
witness to these marvels not so much in words as by the eloquent language of a transfigured life, capable of
amazing the world. To people's astonishment they respond by proclaiming the wonders of grace
accomplished by the Lord in those whom he loves. To the degree that consecrated persons let themselves be
guided by the Spirit to the heights of perfection they can exclaim: "I see the beauty of your grace, I
contemplate its radiance, I reflect its light; I am caught up in its ineffable splendour; I am taken outside
myself as I think of myself; I see how I was and what I have become. O wonder! I am vigilant, I am full of
respect for myself, of reverence and of fear, as I would be were I before you; I do not know what to do, I am
seized by fear, I do not know where to sit, where to go, where to put these members which are yours; in
what deeds, in what works shall I use them, these amazing divine marvels!"The consecrated life thus
becomes one of the tangible seals which the Trinity impresses upon history, so that people can sense with
longing the attraction of divine beauty.
Reflection of Trinitarian life in the evangelical counsels
21. The deepest meaning of the evangelical counsels is revealed when they are viewed in relation to the
Holy Trinity, the source of holiness. They are in fact an expression of the love of the Son for the Father in
the unity of the Holy Spirit. By practising the evangelical counsels, the consecrated person lives with
particular intensity the Trinitarian and Christological dimension which marks the whole of Christian life.
The chastity of celibates and virgins, as a manifestation of dedication to God with an undivided heart (cf. 1
Cor 7:32-34), is a reflection of the infinite love which links the three Divine Persons in the mysterious
depths of the life of the Trinity, the love to which the Incarnate Word bears witness even to the point of
giving his life, the love "poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit" (Rom 5:5), which evokes a response
of total love for God and the brethren.Poverty proclaims that God is man's only real treasure. When poverty
is lived according to the example of Christ who, "though he was rich ... became poor" (2 Cor 8:9), it
becomes an expression of that total gift of self which the three Divine Persons make to one another. This gift
overflows into creation and is fully revealed in the Incarnation of the Word and in his redemptive
death.Obedience, practised in imitation of Christ, whose food was to do the Father's will (cf. Jn 4:34), shows
the liberating beauty of a dependence which is not servile but filial, marked by a deep sense of responsibility
and animated by mutual trust, which is a reflection in history of the loving harmony between the three
Divine Persons.The consecrated life is thus called constantly to deepen the gift of the evangelical counsels
with a love which grows ever more genuine and strong in the Trinitarian dimension: love for Christ, which
leads to closeness with him; love for the Holy Spirit, who opens our hearts to his inspiration; love for the
Father, the first origin and supreme goal of the consecrated life.The consecrated life thus becomes a
confession and a sign of the Trinity, whose mystery is held up to the Church as the model and source of
every form of Christian life.Even fraternal life, whereby consecrated persons strive to live in Christ with
"one heart and soul" (Acts 4:32), is put forward as an eloquent witness to the Trinity. It proclaims the
Father, who desires to make all of humanity one family. It proclaims the Incarnate Son, who gathers the
redeemed into unity, pointing the way by his example, his prayer, his words and above all his death, which
is the source of reconciliation for a divided and scattered humanity. It proclaims the Holy Spirit as the
principle of unity in the Church, wherein he ceaselessly raises up spiritual families and fraternal
communities.
Consecrated like Christ for the Kingdom of God
22. The consecrated life, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, "constitutes a closer imitation and an
abiding re-enactment in the Church"of the way of life which Jesus, the supreme Consecrated One and
missionary of the Father for the sake of his Kingdom, embraced and proposed to his disciples (cf. Mt 4:18-
22; Mk 1:16-20; Lk 5:10-11; Jn 15:16). In the light of Jesus' consecration, we can see in the initiative of the
Father, the source of all holiness, the ultimate origin of the consecrated life. Jesus is the One whom "God
anointed ... with the Holy Spirit and with power" (Acts 10:38), the One "whom the Father consecrated and
sent into the world" (Jn 10:36). Accepting his consecration by the Father, the Son in turn consecrates
himself to the Father for the sake of humanity (cf. Jn 17:19). His life of virginity, obedience and poverty
expresses his complete filial acceptance of the Father's plan (cf. Jn 10:30; 14:11). His perfect offering
confers an aspect of consecration upon all the events of his earthly existence.
Jesus is the exemplar of obedience, who came down from heaven not to do his own will but the will of the
One who sent him (cf. Jn 6:38; Heb 10:5, 7). He places his way of living and acting in the hands of the
Father (cf. Lk 2:49). In filial obedience, he assumes the condition of a servant: he "emptied himself, taking
the form of a servant ... and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross" ( Phil 2:7-8). In this attitude
of submissiveness to the Father, Christ lives his life as a virgin, even while affirming and defending the
dignity and sanctity of married life. He thus reveals the sublime excellence and mysterious spiritual
fruitfulness of virginity. His full acceptance of the Father's plan is also seen in his detachment from earthly
goods: "though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become
rich" (2 Cor 8:9). The depth of his poverty is revealed in the perfect offering of all that is his to the
Father.The consecrated life truly constitutes a living memorial of Jesus' way of living and acting as the
Incarnate Word in relation to the Father and in relation to the brethren. It is a living tradition of the Saviour's
life and message.
II. BETWEEN EASTER AND FULFILMENT
From Tabor to Calvary
23. The dazzling event of the Transfiguration is a preparation for the tragic, but no less glorious, event of
Calvary. Peter, James and John contemplate the Lord Jesus together with Moses and Elijah, with whom,
according to the Evangelist Luke, Jesus speaks "of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem"
(9:31). The eyes of the Apostles are therefore fixed upon Jesus who is thinking of the Cross (cf. Lk 9:43-45).
There his virginal love for the Father and for all mankind will attain its highest expression. His poverty will
reach complete self-emptying, his obedience the giving of his life.
The disciples are invited to contemplate Jesus raised up on the Cross, where, in his silence and solitude, "the
Word come forth from silence"prophetically affirms the absolute transcendence of God over all created
things; in his own flesh he conquers our sin and draws every man and every woman to himself, giving to all
the new life of the Resurrection (cf. Jn 12:32; 19:34, 37). It is in the contemplation of the Crucified Christ
that all vocations find their inspiration. From this contemplation, together with the primordial gift of the
Spirit, all gifts, and in particular the gift of the consecrated life, take their origin.After Mary, the Mother of
Jesus, it is John who receives this gift. John is the disciple whom Jesus loved, the witness who together with
Mary stood at the foot of the Cross (cf. Jn 19:26-27). His decision to consecrate himself totally is the fruit of
the divine love which envelops him, sustains him and fills his heart. John, together with Mary, is among the
first in a long line of men and women who, from the beginning of the Church until the end, are touched by
God's love and feel called to follow the Lamb, once sacrificed and now alive, wherever he goes
(cf. Rev 14:1-5).
The Paschal dimension of the consecrated life
24. In the different forms of life inspired by the Spirit throughout history, consecrated persons discover that
the more they stand at the foot of the Cross of Christ, the more immediately and profoundly they experience
the truth of God who is love. It is precisely on the Cross that the One who in death appears to human eyes as
disfigured and without beauty, so much so that the bystanders cover their faces (cf. Is 53:2-3), fully reveals
the beauty and power of God's love. Saint Augustine says: "Beautiful is God, the Word with God ... He is
beautiful in heaven, beautiful on earth; beautiful in the womb, beautiful in his parents' arms, beautiful in his
miracles, beautiful in his sufferings; beautiful in inviting to life, beautiful in not worrying about death,
beautiful in giving up his life and beautiful in taking it up again; he is beautiful on the Cross, beautiful in the
tomb, beautiful in heaven. Listen to the song with understanding, and let not the weakness of the flesh
distract your eyes from the splendour of his beauty."The consecrated life reflects the splendour of this love
because, by its fidelity to the mystery of the Cross, it confesses that it believes and lives by the love of the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In this way it helps the Church to remain aware that the Cross is the
superabundance of God's love poured out upon this world, and that it is the great sign of Christ's saving
presence, especially in the midst of difficulties and trials. This is the testimony given constantly and with
deeply admirable courage by a great number of consecrated persons, many of whom live in difficult
situations, even suffering persecution and martyrdom. Their fidelity to the one Love is revealed and
confirmed in the humility of a hidden life, in the acceptance of sufferings for the sake of completing in their
own flesh "what is lacking in Christ's afflictions" (Col 1:24), in silent sacrifice and abandonment to God's
holy will, and in serene fidelity even as their strength and personal authority wane. Fidelity to God also
inspires devotion to neighbour, a devotion which consecrated persons live out not without sacrifice by
constantly interceding for the needs of their brothers and sisters, generously serving the poor and the sick,
sharing the hardships of others and participating in the concerns and trials of the Church.
Witnesses to Christ in the world
25. The Paschal Mystery is also the wellspring of the Church's missionary nature, which is reflected in the
whole of the Church's life. It is expressed in a distinctive way in the consecrated life. Over and above the
charisms proper to those Institutes which are devoted to the mission ad gentes or which are engaged in
ordinary apostolic activity, it can be said that the sense of mission is at the very heart of every form of
consecrated life. To the extent that consecrated persons live a life completely devoted to the Father
(cf. Lk 2:49; Jn 4:34), held fast by Christ (cf. Jn 15:16; Gal 1:15-16) and animated by the Spirit
(cf. Lk 24:49; Acts 1:8; 2:4), they cooperate effectively in the mission of the Lord Jesus (cf. Jn 20:21) and
contribute in a particularly profound way to the renewal of the world.
The first missionary duty of consecrated persons is to themselves, and they fulfil it by opening their hearts to
the promptings of the Spirit of Christ. Their witness helps the whole Church to remember that the most
important thing is to serve God freely, through Christ's grace which is communicated to believers through
the gift of the Spirit. Thus they proclaim to the world the peace which comes from the Father, the dedication
witnessed to by the Son, and the joy which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.Consecrated persons will be
missionaries above all by continually deepening their awareness of having been called and chosen by God,
to whom they must therefore direct and offer everything that they are and have, freeing themselves from the
obstacles which could hinder the totality of their response. In this way they will become true signs of Christ
in the world. Their lifestyle too must clearly show the ideal which they profess, and thus present itself as a
living sign of God and as an eloquent, albeit often silent, proclamation of the Gospel.The Church must
always seek to make her presence visible in everyday life, especially in contemporary culture, which is often
very secularized and yet sensitive to the language of signs. In this regard the Church has a right to expect a
significant contribution from consecrated persons, called as they are in every situation to bear clear witness
that they belong to Christ.Since the habit is a sign of consecration, poverty and membership in a particular
Religious family, I join the Fathers of the Synod in strongly recommending to men and women religious that
they wear their proper habit, suitably adapted to the conditions of time and place.Where valid reasons of
their apostolate call for it, Religious, in conformity with the norms of their Institute, may also dress in a
simple and modest manner, with an appropriate symbol, in such a way that their consecration is
recognizable.Institutes which from their origin or by provision of their Constitutions do not have a specific
habit should ensure that the dress of their members corresponds in dignity and simplicity to the nature of
their vocation.
Eschatological dimension of the consecrated life
26. Since the demands of the apostolate today are increasingly urgent, and since involvement in temporal
affairs risks becoming ever more absorbing, it is particularly opportune to draw attention once more to
the eschatological nature of the consecrated life.
"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Mt 6:21). The unique treasure of the Kingdom gives
rise to desire, anticipation, commitment and witness. In the early Church, the expectation of the Lord's
coming was lived in a particularly intense way. With the passing of the centuries, the Church has not ceased
to foster this attitude of hope: she has continued to invite the faithful to look to the salvation which is
waiting to be revealed, "for the form of this world is passing away" (1 Cor 7:31; cf. 1 Pet 1:3-6).t is in this
perspective that we can understand more clearly the role of consecrated life as an eschatological sign. In fact
it has constantly been taught that the consecrated life is a foreshadowing of the future Kingdom. The Second
Vatican Council proposes this teaching anew when it states that consecration better "foretells the resurrected
state and the glory of the heavenly Kingdom."It does this above all by means of the vow of virginity, which
tradition has always understood as an anticipation of the world to come, already at work for the total
transformation of man.Those who have dedicated their lives to Christ cannot fail to live in the hope of
meeting him, in order to be with him for ever. Hence the ardent expectation and desire to "be plunged into
the Fire of Love which burns in them and which is none other than the Holy Spirit",an expectation and
desire sustained by the gifts which the Lord freely bestows on those who yearn for the things that are above
(cf. Col 3:1).Immersed in the things of the Lord, the consecrated person remembers that "here we have no
lasting city" (Heb 13:14), for "our commonwealth is in heaven" (Phil 3:20). The one thing necessary is to
seek God's "Kingdom and his righteousness" (Mt 6:33), with unceasing prayer for the Lord's coming.
Active expectation: commitment and watchfulness
27. "Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev 22:20). This expectation is anything but passive: although directed towards
the future Kingdom, it expresses itself in work and mission, that the Kingdom may become present here and
now through the spirit of the Beatitudes, a spirit capable of giving rise in human society to effective
aspirations for justice, peace, solidarity and forgiveness.
This is clearly shown by the history of the consecrated life, which has always borne abundant fruit even for
this world. By their charisms, consecrated persons become signs of the Spirit pointing to a new future
enlightened by faith and by Christian hope. Eschatological expectation becomes mission, so that the
Kingdom may become ever more fully established here and now. The prayer "Come, Lord Jesus!" is
accompanied by another: "Thy Kingdom come!" (Mt 6:10).Those who vigilantly await the fulfilment of
Christ's promises are able to bring hope to their brothers and sisters who are often discouraged and
pessimistic about the future. Theirs is a hope founded on God's promise contained in the revealed word: the
history of humanity is moving towards "a new heaven and a new earth" (Rev 21:1), where the Lord "will
wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying
nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away" (Rev 21:4).The consecrated life is at the service
of this definitive manifestation of the divine glory, when all flesh will see the salvation of God
(cf. Lk 3:6; Is 40:5). The Christian East emphasizes this dimension when it considers monks as angels of
God on earth who proclaim the renewal of the world in Christ. In the West, monasticism is the celebration
of memory and expectation: memory of the wonders God has wrought and expectation of the final fulfilment
of our hope. Monasticism and the contemplative life are a constant reminder that the primacy of God gives
full meaning and joy to human lives, because men and women are made for God, and their hearts are restless
until they rest in him.
The Virgin Mary, model of consecration and discipleship
28. Mary is the one who, from the moment of her Immaculate Conception, most perfectly reflects the divine
beauty. "All beautiful" is the title with which the Church invokes her. "The relationship with Mary most
holy, which for every believer stems from his or her union with Christ, is even more pronounced in the life
of consecrated persons ... Mary's presence is of fundamental importance both for the spiritual life of each
consecrated person and for the solidity, unity and progress of the whole community".Mary in fact is
the sublime example of perfect consecration, since she belongs completely to God and is totally devoted to
him. Chosen by the Lord, who wished to accomplish in her the mystery of the Incarnation, she reminds
consecrated persons of the primacy of God's initiative. At the same time, having given her assent to the
divine Word, made flesh in her, Mary is the model of the acceptance of grace by human creatures. Having
lived with Jesus and Joseph in the hidden years of Nazareth, and present at her Son's side at crucial moments
of his public life, the Blessed Virgin teaches unconditional discipleship and diligent service. In Mary, "the
temple of the Holy Spirit,"all the splendour of the new creation shines forth. Consecrated life looks to her as
the sublime model of consecration to the Father, union with the Son and openness to the Spirit, in the
knowledge that acceptance of the "virginal and humble life"of Christ also means imitation of Mary's way of
life.In the Blessed Virgin Mary, consecrated persons also find a Mother who is altogether unique. Indeed, if
the new motherhood conferred on Mary at Calvary is a gift for all Christians, it has a specific value for those
who have completely consecrated their lives to Christ. "Behold your mother!" (Jn 19:27): Jesus' words to the
disciple "whom he loved" (Jn 19:26) are particularly significant for the lives of consecrated persons. They,
like John, are called to take the Blessed Virgin Mary to themselves (cf. Jn 19:27), loving her and imitating
her in the radical manner which befits their vocation, and experiencing in return her special motherly love.
The Blessed Virgin shares with them the love which enables them to offer their lives every day for Christ
and to cooperate with him in the salvation of the world. Hence a filial relationship to Mary is the royal road
to fidelity to one's vocation and a most effective help for advancing in that vocation and living it fully.
III. IN THE CHURCH AND FOR THE CHURCH
"It is well that we are here": the consecrated life in the mystery of the Church
29. In the episode of the Transfiguration, Peter speaks on behalf of the other Apostles: "It is well that we are
here" (Mt 17:4). The experience of Christ's glory, though completely filling his mind and heart, does not set
him apart but rather unites him more closely to the "we" of the Apostles.
This dimension of "we" invites us to consider the place which the consecrated life occupies in the mystery of
the Church. In recent years, theological reflection on the nature of the consecrated life has deepened the new
insights which emerged from the teaching of the Second Vatican Council. In the light of that teaching it has
been recognized that the profession of the evangelical counsels indisputably belongs to the life and holiness
of the Church.This means that the consecrated life, present in the Church from the beginning, can never fail
to be one of her essential and characteristic elements, for it expresses her very nature.This is clearly seen
from the fact that the profession of the evangelical counsels is intimately connected with the mystery of
Christ, and has the duty of making somehow present the way of life which Jesus himself chose and indicated
as an absolute eschatological value. Jesus himself, by calling some men and women to abandon everything
in order to follow him, established this type of life which, under the guidance of the Spirit, would gradually
develop down the centuries into the various forms of the consecrated life. The idea of a Church made up
only of sacred ministers and lay people does not therefore conform to the intentions of her divine Founder,
as revealed to us by the Gospels and the other writings of the New Testament.
New and special consecration
30. In the Church's tradition religious profession is considered to be a special and fruitful deepening of the
consecration received in Baptism, inasmuch as it is the means by which the close union with Christ already
begun in Baptism develops in the gift of a fuller, more explicit and authentic configuration to him through
the profession of the evangelical counsels.This further consecration, however, differs in a special way from
baptismal consecration, of which it is not a necessary consequence.In fact, all those reborn in Christ are
called to live out, with the strength which is the Spirit's gift, the chastity appropriate to their state of life,
obedience to God and to the Church, and a reasonable detachment from material possessions: for all are
called to holiness, which consists in the perfection of love.But Baptism in itself does not include the call to
celibacy or virginity, the renunciation of possessions or obedience to a superior, in the form proper to the
evangelical counsels. The profession of the evangelical counsels thus presupposes a particular gift of God
not given to everyone, as Jesus himself emphasizes with respect to voluntary celibacy (cf. Mt 19:10-12).This
call is accompanied, moreover, by a specific gift of the Holy Spirit, so that consecrated persons can respond
to their vocation and mission. For this reason, as the liturgies of the East and West testify in the rite of
monastic or religious profession and in the consecration of virgins, the Church invokes the gift of the Holy
Spirit upon those who have been chosen and joins their oblation to the sacrifice of Christ.he profession of
the evangelical counsels is also a development of the grace of the Sacrament of Confirmation, but it goes
beyond the ordinary demands of the consecration received in Confirmation by virtue of a special gift of the
Spirit which opens the way to new possibilities and fruits of holiness and apostolic work. This can clearly be
seen from the history of the consecrated life.As for priests who profess the evangelical counsels, experience
itself shows that the Sacrament of Holy Orders finds a particular fruitfulness in this consecration, inasmuch
as it requires and fosters a closer union with the Lord. The priest who professes the evangelical counsels is
especially favoured in that he reproduces in his life the fullness of the mystery of Christ, thanks also to the
specific spirituality of his Institute and the apostolic dimension of its proper charism. In the priest, in fact,
the vocation to the priesthood and the vocation to the consecrated life converge in a profound and dynamic
unity.Also of immeasurable value is the contribution made to the Church's life by religious priests
completely devoted to contemplation. Especially in the celebration of the Eucharist they carry out an act of
the Church and for the Church, to which they join the offering of themselves, in communion with Christ
who offers himself to the Father for the salvation of the whole world.
Relationships between the different states of Christian life
31. The different ways of life which, in accordance with the plan of the Lord Jesus, make up the life of the
Church have mutual relationships which merit consideration.
By virtue of their rebirth in Christ, all the faithful share a common dignity; all are called to holiness; all
cooperate in the building up of the one Body of Christ, each in accordance with the proper vocation and gift
which he or she has received from the Spirit (cf. Rom 12:3-8).The equal dignity of all members of the
Church is the work of the Spirit, is rooted in Baptism and Confirmation and is strengthened by the Eucharist.
But diversity is also a work of the Spirit. It is he who establishes the Church as an organic communion in the
diversity of vocations, charisms and ministries.he vocations to the lay life, to the ordained ministry and to
the consecrated life can be considered paradigmatic, inasmuch as all particular vocations, considered
separately or as a whole, are in one way or another derived from them or lead back to them, in accordance
with the richness of God's gift. These vocations are also at the service of one another, for the growth of the
Body of Christ in history and for its mission in the world. Everyone in the Church is consecrated in Baptism
and Confirmation, but the ordained ministry and the consecrated life each presuppose a distinct vocation and
a specific form of consecration, with a view to a particular mission.For the mission of the lay faithful, whose
proper task is to "seek the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according
to the plan of God",the consecration of Baptism and Confirmation common to all members of the People of
God is a sufficient foundation. In addition to this basic consecration, ordained ministers receive the
consecration of ordination in order to carry on the apostolic ministry in time. Consecrated persons, who
embrace the evangelical counsels, receive a new and special consecration which, without being sacramental,
commits them to making their own — in chastity, poverty and obedience — the way of life practised
personally by Jesus and proposed by him to his disciples. Although these different categories are a
manifestation of the one mystery of Christ, the lay faithful have as their specific but not exclusive
characteristic, activity in the world; the clergy, ministry; consecrated men and women, special conformity to
Christ, chaste, poor and obedient.
The special value of the consecrated life
32. Within this harmonious constellation of gifts, each of the fundamental states of life is entrusted with the
task of expressing, in its own way, one or other aspect of the one mystery of Christ. While the lay life has a
particular mission of ensuring that the Gospel message is proclaimed in the temporal sphere, in the sphere of
ecclesial communion an indispensable ministry is carried out by those in Holy Orders, and in a special way
by Bishops. The latter have the task of guiding the People of God by the teaching of the word, the
administration of the sacraments and the exercise of sacred power in the service of ecclesial communion,
which is an organic communion, hierarchically structured.As a way of showing forth the Church's
holiness, it is to be recognized that the consecrated life, which mirrors Christ's own way of life, has an
objective superiority. Precisely for this reason, it is an especially rich manifestation of Gospel values and a
more complete expression of the Church's purpose, which is the sanctification of humanity. The consecrated
life proclaims and in a certain way anticipates the future age, when the fullness of the Kingdom of heaven,
already present in its first fruits and in mystery,will be achieved, and when the children of the resurrection
will take neither wife nor husband, but will be like the angels of God (cf. Mt 22:30).The Church has always
taught the pre-eminence of perfect chastity for the sake of the Kingdom,and rightly considers it the "door" of
the whole consecrated life.She also shows great esteem for the vocation to marriage, which makes spouses
"witnesses to and cooperators in the fruitfulness of Holy Mother Church, who signify and share in the love
with which Christ has loved his Bride and because of which he delivered himself up on her behalf".In this
perspective, common to all consecrated life, there are many different but complementary paths. Men and
women Religious completely devoted to contemplation are in a special way an image of Christ praying on
the mountain.Consecrated persons engaged in the active life manifest Christ "in his proclamation of the
Kingdom of God to the multitudes, in his healing of the sick and the suffering, in his work of converting
sinners to a better life, in his solicitude for youth and his goodness to all".Consecrated persons in Secular
Institutes contribute in a special way to the coming of the Kingdom of God; they unite in a distinctive
synthesis the value of consecration and that of being in the world. As they live their consecration in the
world and from the world,"they strive to imbue everything with an evangelical spirit for the strengthening
and growth of the Body of Christ".For this purpose they share in the Church's evangelizing mission through
their personal witness of Christian living, their commitment to ordering temporal affairs according to God's
plan, and their cooperation in service of the ecclesial community, in accordance with the secular way of life
which is proper to them.
Bearing witness to the Gospel of the Beatitudes
33. A particular duty of the consecrated life is to remind the baptized of the fundamental values of the
Gospel, by bearing "splendid and striking testimony that the world cannot be transfigured and offered to
God without the spirit of the Beatitudes".The consecrated life thus continually fosters in the People of God
an awareness of the need to respond with holiness of life to the love of God poured into their hearts by the
Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 5:5), by reflecting in their conduct the sacramental consecration which is brought about
by God's power in Baptism, Confirmation or Holy Orders. In fact it is necessary to pass from the holiness
communicated in the sacraments to the holiness of daily life. The consecrated life, by its very existence in
the Church, seeks to serve the consecration of the lives of all the faithful, clergy and laity alike.
Nor must it be forgotten that consecrated persons themselves are helped by the witness of the other
vocations to live fully and completely their union with the mystery of Christ and the Church in its many
different dimensions. By virtue of this mutual enrichment, the mission of consecrated persons becomes more
eloquent and effective: this mission is to remind their other brothers and sisters to keep their eyes fixed on
the peace which is to come, and to strive for the definitive happiness found in God.
The living image of the Church as Bride
34. In the consecrated life, particular importance attaches to the spousal meaning, which recalls the Church's
duty to be completely and exclusively devoted to her Spouse, from whom she receives every good thing.
This spousal dimension, which is part of all consecrated life, has a particular meaning for women, who find
therein their feminine identity and as it were discover the special genius of their relationship with the Lord.
A moving sign of this is seen in the New Testament passage which portrays Mary with the Apostles in the
Upper Room, in prayerful expectation of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:13-14). We can see here a vivid image of
the Church as Bride, fully attentive to her Bridegroom and ready to accept his gift. In Peter and the other
Apostles there emerges above all the aspect of fruitfulness, as it is expressed in ecclesial ministry, which
becomes an instrument of the Spirit for bringing new sons and daughters to birth through the preaching of
the word, the celebration of the Sacraments and the giving of pastoral care. In Mary the aspect of spousal
receptivity is particularly clear; it is under this aspect that the Church, through her perfect virginal life,
brings divine life to fruition within herself.The consecrated life has always been seen primarily in terms of
Mary — Virgin and Bride. This virginal love is the source of a particular fruitfulness which fosters the birth
and growth of divine life in people's hearts.Following in the footsteps of Mary, the New Eve, consecrated
persons express their spiritual fruitfulness by becoming receptive to the Word, in order to contribute to the
growth of a new humanity by their unconditional dedication and their living witness. Thus the Church fully
reveals her motherhood both in the communication of divine grace entrusted to Peter and in the responsible
acceptance of God's gift, exemplified by Mary.God's people, for their part, find in the ordained ministry the
means of salvation, and in the consecrated life the incentive to make a full and loving response through all
the different forms of Christian service.
IV. GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS
A "transfigured" life: the call to holiness
35. "When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with fear" (Mt 17:6). In the
episode of the Transfiguration, the Synoptic Gospels, with varying nuances, point out the fear which
overcomes the disciples. Their fascination at the transfigured face of Christ does not prevent them from
being fearful before the divine Majesty which overshadows them. Whenever human beings become aware of
the glory of God, they also become aware of their own insignificance and experience a sense of fear. Such
fear is salutary. It reminds man of God's perfection, and at the same time urges him on with a pressing call to
"holiness".
All the sons and daughters of the Church, called by God to "listen to" Christ, necessarily feel a deep need for
conversion and holiness. But, as the Synod emphasized, this need in the first place challenges the
consecrated life. In fact the vocation of consecrated persons to seek first the Kingdom of God is first and
foremost a call to complete conversion, in self-renunciation, in order to live fully for the Lord, so that God
may be all in all. Called to contemplate and bear witness to the transfigured face of Christ, consecrated men
and women are also called to a "transfigured" existence.The Final Report of the Second Extraordinary
General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops made a significant observation in this regard: "Holy men and
women have always been the source and origin of renewal in the most difficult circumstances throughout the
Church's history. Today we have a tremendous need of saints, for whom we must assiduously implore God.
The Institutes of Consecrated Life, through the profession of the evangelical counsels, must be conscious of
their special mission in today's Church, and we must encourage them in that mission".The Fathers of the
Ninth Assembly of the Synod of Bishops echoed this conviction: "Throughout the Church's history,
consecrated life has been a living presence of the Spirit's work, a kind of privileged milieu for absolute love
of God and of neighbour, for witness to the divine plan of gathering all humanity into the civilization of
love, the great family of the children of God".The Church has always seen in the profession of the
evangelical counsels a special path to holiness. The very expressions used to describe it — the school of the
Lord's service, the school of love and holiness, the way or state of perfection — indicate the effectiveness
and the wealth of means which are proper to this form of evangelical life, and the particular commitment
made by those who embrace it.It is not by chance that there have been so many consecrated persons down
the centuries who have left behind eloquent testimonies of holiness and have undertaken particularly
generous and demanding works of evangelization and service.
Faithfulness to the charism
36. In Christian discipleship and love for the person of Christ there are a number of points concerning the
growth of holiness in the consecrated life which merit particular emphasis today.
In the first place, there is the need for fidelity to the founding charism and subsequent spiritual heritage of
each Institute. It is precisely in this fidelity to the inspiration of the founders and foundresses, an inspiration
which is itself a gift of the Holy Spirit, that the essential elements of the consecrated life can be more readily
discerned and more fervently put into practice.Fundamental to every charism is a threefold orientation. First,
charisms lead to the Father, in the filial desire to seek his will through a process of unceasing conversion,
wherein obedience is the source of true freedom, chastity expresses the yearning of a heart unsatisfied by
any finite love, and poverty nourishes that hunger and thirst for justice which God has promised to satisfy
(cf. Mt 5:6). Consequently the charism of each Institute will lead the consecrated person to belong wholly to
God, to speak with God or about God, as is said of Saint Dominic,so that he or she can taste the goodness of
the Lord (cf. Ps 34:8) in every situation.Secondly, the charisms of the consecrated life also lead to the
Son, fostering an intimate and joyful communion of life with him, in the school of his generous service of
God and neighbour. Thus the attitude of consecrated persons "is progressively conformed to Christ; they
learn detachment from externals, from the tumult of the senses, from all that keeps man from that freedom
which allows him to be grasped by the Spirit".As a result, consecrated persons are enabled to take up the
mission of Christ, working and suffering with him in the spreading of his Kingdom.Finally, every charism
leads to the Holy Spirit, insofar as it prepares individuals to let themselves be guided and sustained by him,
both in their personal spiritual journeys and in their lives of communion and apostolic work, in order to
embody that attitude of service which should inspire the true Christian's every choice.In fact it is this
threefold relationship which emerges in every founding charism, though with the specific nuances of the
various patterns of living. This is so because in every charism there predominates "a profound desire to be
conformed to Christ to give witness to some aspect of his mystery".This specific aspect is meant to take
shape and develop according to the most authentic tradition of the Institute, as present in its Rule,
Constitutions and Statutes.
Creative fidelity
37. Institutes of Consecrated Life are thus invited courageously to propose anew the enterprising initiative,
creativity and holiness of their founders and foundresses in response to the signs of the times emerging in
today's world.This invitation is first of all a call to perseverance on the path of holiness in the midst of the
material and spiritual difficulties of daily life. But it is also a call to pursue competence in personal work and
to develop a dynamic fidelity to their mission, adapting forms, if need be, to new situations and different
needs, in complete openness to God's inspiration and to the Church's discernment. But all must be fully
convinced that the quest for ever greater conformity to the Lord is the guarantee of any renewal which seeks
to remain faithful to an Institute's original inspiration.In this spirit there is a pressing need today for every
Institute to return to the Rule, since the Rule and Constitutions provide a map for the whole journey of
discipleship, in accordance with a specific charism confirmed by the Church. A greater regard for the Rule
will not fail to offer consecrated persons a reliable criterion in their search for the appropriate forms of a
witness which is capable of responding to the needs of the times without departing from an Institute's initial
inspiration.
Prayer and asceticism: spiritual combat
38. The call to holiness is accepted and can be cultivated only in the silence of adoration before the infinite
transcendence of God: "We must confess that we all have need of this silence, filled with the presence of
him who is adored: in theology, so as to exploit fully its own sapiential and spiritual soul; in prayer, so that
we may never forget that seeing God means coming down the mountain with a face so radiant that we are
obliged to cover it with a veil (cf. Ex 34:33); in commitment, so that we will refuse to be locked in a struggle
without love and forgiveness. All, believers and non-believers alike, need to learn a silence that allows the
Other to speak when and how he wishes, and allows us to understand his words".In practice this involves
great fidelity to liturgical and personal prayer, to periods devoted to mental prayer and contemplation, to
Eucharistic adoration, to monthly retreats and to spiritual exercises.
There is also a need to rediscover the ascetic practices typical of the spiritual tradition of the Church and of
the individual's own Institute. These have been and continue to be a powerful aid to authentic progress in
holiness. Asceticism, by helping to master and correct the inclinations of human nature wounded by sin, is
truly indispensable if consecrated persons are to remain faithful to their own vocation and follow Jesus on
the way of the Cross.It is also necessary to recognize and overcome certain temptations which sometimes,
by diabolical deceit, present themselves under the appearance of good. Thus, for example, the legitimate
need to be familiar with today's society in order to respond to its challenges can lead to a surrender to
passing fashions, with a consequent lessening of spiritual fervour or a succumbing to discouragement. The
possibility of a deeper spiritual formation might lead consecrated persons to feel somehow superior to other
members of the faithful, while the urgent need for appropriate and necessary training can turn into a frantic
quest for efficiency, as if apostolic service depended primarily on human means rather than on God. The
praiseworthy desire to become close to the men and women of our day, believers and non-believers, rich and
poor, can lead to the adoption of a secularized lifestyle or the promotion of human values in a merely
horizontal direction. Sharing in the legitimate aspirations of one's own nation or culture could lead to
embracing forms of nationalism or accepting customs which instead need to be purified and elevated in the
light of the Gospel.The path to holiness thus involves the acceptance of spiritual combat. This is a
demanding reality which is not always given due attention today. Tradition has often seen an image of this
spiritual combat in Jacob's wrestling with the mystery of God, whom he confronts in order to receive his
blessing and to see him (cf. Gen 32:23-31). In this episode from the beginnings of biblical history,
consecrated persons can recognize a symbol of the asceticism which they need in order to open their hearts
to the Lord and to their brothers and sisters.
Fostering holiness
39. Today a renewed commitment to holiness by consecrated persons is more necessary than ever, also as a
means of promoting and supporting every Christian's desire for perfection. "It is therefore necessary to
inspire in all the faithful a true longing for holiness, a deep desire for conversion and personal renewal in a
context of ever more intense prayer and of solidarity with one's neighbour, especially the most needy".To
the degree that they deepen their friendship with God, consecrated persons become better prepared to help
their brothers and sisters through valuable spiritual activities such as schools of prayer, spiritual exercises
and retreats, days of recollection, spiritual dialogue and direction. In this way people are helped to grow in
prayer and will then be better able to discern God's will in their lives and to commit themselves to the
courageous and sometimes heroic demands which faith makes of them. Consecrated persons "at the deepest
level of their being ... are caught up in the dynamism of the Church's life, which is thirsty for the divine
Absolute and called to holiness. It is to this holiness that they bear witness".The fact that all are called to
become saints cannot fail to inspire more and more those who by their very choice of life have the mission
of reminding others of that call.
"Rise, and have no fear": a renewed trust
40. "Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear" (Mt 17:7). Like the three Apostles in the
episode of the Transfiguration, consecrated persons know from experience that their lives are not always
marked by the fervour which makes us exclaim: "It is well that we are here" ( Mt 17:4). But it is always a life
"touched" by the hand of Christ, a life where his voice is heard, a life sustained by his grace.
"Rise, and have no fear". Obviously, the Master's encouragement is addressed to every Christian. All the
more does it apply to those called to "leave everything" and thus to "risk everything" for Christ. This is
particularly true whenever one descends from the "mountain" with the Master and sets off on the road which
leads from Tabor to Calvary.When Luke relates that Moses and Elijah were speaking with Christ about his
Paschal Mystery, it is significant that he uses the term "departure" (éxodos): "they spoke about his departure,
which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem" (9:31). "Exodus" is a basic term in Revelation; it evokes the
whole of salvation history and expresses the deep meaning of the Paschal Mystery. It is a theme particularly
dear to the spirituality of the consecrated life and well expresses its meaning. It inevitably includes
everything that pertains to the mysterium Crucis. But this difficult "exodus journey", when viewed from the
perspective of Tabor, is seen to be a road situated between two lights: the anticipatory light of the
Transfiguration and the definitive light of the Resurrection.From the standpoint of the Christian life as a
whole, the vocation to the consecrated life is, despite its renunciations and trials, and indeed because of
them, a path "of light" over which the Redeemer keeps constant watch: "Rise, and have no fear".