1.1 Commitment

STAGE 1: Facing Reality

MY VOCATION IN THE WORLD

GAZING AT THE VISION

COMMITMENT

Aim: To affirm Jesus as our plan and ultimate vocation in the world.

Reading

Jesus is “the” plan (TD 61): “Jesus, our Saviour, true God and true man must be the ultimate end of all our other devotions; otherwise they would be false and misleading. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and end of everything. ‘We labour’, says St. Paul, ‘only to make all people perfect in Jesus Christ’. For in him alone dwells the entire fullness of the divinity and the complete fullness of grace, virtue and perfection. In him alone we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing; he is the only Teacher from whom we must learn; the only Lord on whom we should depend; the only Head to whom we should be united and the only Model that we should imitate. He is the only Physician that can heal us; the only Shepherd that can feed us; the only Way that can lead us; the only Truth that we can believe; the only Life that can animate us. He alone is everything to us and he alone can satisfy all our desires. We are given no other name under heaven by which we can be saved. God has laid no other foundation for our salvation, perfection and glory than Jesus. Every edifice, which is not built on that firm rock, is founded upon shifting sands and will certainly fall sooner or later. Every one of the faithful who is not united to him is like a branch broken from the stem of the vine. It falls and withers and is fit only to be burnt. If we live in Jesus and Jesus lives in us, we need not fear damnation. Neither angels in heaven nor men on earth, nor devils in hell, no creature whatever can harm us, for no creature can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Through him, with him and in him, we can do all things and render all honour and glory to the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit; we can make ourselves perfect and be for our neighbour a fragrance of eternal life”.

Comment

According to St. Louis-Marie de Montfort:

Jesus Christ is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end of all things.

It is in Jesus alone that we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings.

Every building not built upon Jesus, the “firm rock”, is founded upon shifting sands.

In and through Jesus Christ we can both grow toward personal perfection and announce the Reign of God to our neighbour.

Personal Reflection and Sharing

God’s plan is my transformation into the likeness of Jesus Christ. So far in my life, has Jesus been someone I have striven to become or someone I have simply honoured and venerated?

What is my next step towards committing myself to Jesus?

[1-1] CALL RESPONSE COMMITMENT PRAYER