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2. IDENTITY
AND VOCATION
2.1. What vocation?
Theological
reflection, beginning with Vatican Council II, demonstrated the
dialogic-relational and dynamic character of vocation, not only of man with
God, but also man with himself, with others, with the Church, society and
culture.
To speak of
“vocation” means first of all to make an essential reference to God, even if
vocation looks at the person’s response. Each vocation, in fact, is always a
story of ineffable dialog between God and man, between the love of God who
calls and the freedom of man who responds. 17 God’s call is connected
to a personal and historical response; it is call and response, rather “the
personal response is an integral part of religious consecration”. 18 In
that sense, it implies the building of the person, because the response of God
who calls is mixed with that long iter
of growth and formation which creates mature men and women.
Vocation,
therefore, is to be understood as a dynamic development and as a project that
gradually is discovered and elaborated in harmony with one’s identity. In this
perspective we understand the close correlation between vocation response and
healthy functioning of the personality, between vocation identity and personal
identity. God’s call is addressed to a creature who is taken in the totality of
her actual and potential resources and in all her dynamisms.
We cannot draw
up/organize any formation itinerary without starting off with the reality of
the person who, with his peculiar identity
and personal plan, identifies himself
with the identity and plan of the congregation, determined by its charism.
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