2.      CONSECRATED LIFE “LIVING MEMORY” OF CHRIST CONSECRATED, OBEDIENT, CHASTE, POOR, PRAYING AND MISSIONARY

2.1. Consecrated life, “living memory” of the consecrated Christ

         Only in contemplating the consecrated life of Christ is it possible to discover the evangelical

power of the consecration of members of institutes of consecrated life.

         From the theological point of view, consecration of these persons presents a dual aspect: a passive one and an active or reflexive one. These two aspects are to be evaluated not as opposing elements of a dilemma, but as essential components of a reality that flowers and bears fruit in a human being endowed with freedom and responsibility before the sanctifying action of God. 

The consecrated person who has an authentic view of his/her consecration knows that she/he must not give priority to this statement: “I consecrated myself to God.”  The person is aware that we must first of all confess: “I have been consecrated by God.”  The consecrated person who has assimilated well this primary element of the truth of consecration always walks in humility, because she/he experiences that consecration is first of all a special grace received from God.

Those who seek the most genuine meaning of their consecrated life must journey all the way to its Christological-Trinitarian sources.  In its origin consecration is a supernatural reality that proceeds from the Father, Source of all holiness.  Like Christ, every member of an institute of consecrated life is consecrated by the Father in the Holy Spirit. The passive aspect, in fact, is priority also in the consecration of Christ, the supreme consecrated One in the history of humanity.  He is truly the one whom God consecrated in the Holy Spirit and in power” (Acts 10:38), “the one whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world.” (Jn 10:36)

Christ, on the other hand, is also the supreme model of a consecrated person in the active or reflexive sense of the expression: “For them I consecrate myself.” (Jn 17:19)

With a splendid summary the Pope thus describes the harmony of the two elements of Christ’s consecration: “Accepting his consecration by the Father, the Son in turn consecrates himself to the Father…” (VC 22a)

Every baptized person shares on a common or fundamental level in Christ’s consecration. In that sense, every Christian is a consecrated person, therefore bound to live according to the program of his holy baptismal promises.

Christ’s consecration, however, is so rich and bright that some of its characteristic notes are not part of the program of the positiveness and renunciations of baptism.  The evangelical obedience of Christ, his chastity for the Kingdom of heaven and his voluntary poverty are also dimensions and expressions of his consecrated life.

Those who profess the evangelical counsels, lived by Christ in his fully consecrated humanity, receive “a special consecration” (PC 5a), which implies a new effort of configuration and participation in the mystery of the consecrated Christ. “Consecrated persons…receive a new and special consecration…which commits them to making their own…the way of life practiced personally by Jesus..” (VC 31d)

“Consecrated life today needs a special rebirth which will help to concretely bring about the spiritual and evangelical meaning of baptismal consecration and of its new and special consecration.” (RdC 20c)

In this specific sense, consecrated life is “living memory” of the consecrated Christ. Members of institutes of consecrated life, in fact, are called to live “consecrated like Christ” (VC 22t), “bringing anew to their own times the living presence of Jesus, the Consecrated One par excellence…” (VC 9b)