MAN’S ORIGINAL

VOCATION
 ORIGIN OF MAN’S VOCATION

• (GEN. 1:27 (ELOHIST TRADITION): “GOD

CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE; IN THE
IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED HIM; MALE
AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM”
IMPLICATION: MAN IS DEFINED IN HIS
RELATION TO ELOHIM,” HIS CREATOR. MAN
IS UNLIKE THE REST OF CREATION.
ORIGINAL SOLITUDE: GEN. 2:16-17
YAHWIST TRADITION: SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS
AND SELF-DETERMINATION
IMPLICATION: MAN IS “ALONE”. THROUGH HIS
OWN HUMANITY, HE IS DESIGNED AT THE SAME
TIME IN A UNIQUE, EXCLUSIVE AND
UNREPEATABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
HIMSELF. HE IS A BODY AMONG BODIES, BUT IS
UNLIKE THEM ALL.
 THE PERSON: PARTNER OF THE
ABSOLUTE A L O N E

GEN 1:26: “LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR

IMAGE, AFTER OUR LIKENESS.”
SUBJECT OF THE COVENANT: SUBMISSION
AND DEPENDENCE OF THE MAN
CREATURE ON HIS CREATOR.
 MEANING OF MAN’S CORPORALITY:
GEN. 2:5FF
• 5“..WHILE AS YET THERE WAS NO FIELD
SHRUB ON EARTH AND NO GRASS OF THE
FIELD HAD SPROUTED, FOR THE LORD GOD
HAD SENT NO RAIN UPON THE EARTH AND
THERE WAS NO MAN TO TILL THE SOIL, 6 BUT A
SPRING WAS WELLING OUT OF THE EARTH
AND WAS WATERING ALL THE SURFACE OF
THE GROUND -
 MEANING OF MAN’S CORPORALITY:
GEN. 2:5FF
7 THE LORD GOD FORMED MAN OUT OF THE
CLAY OF THE GROUND AND BLEW INTO HIS
NOSTRILS THE BREATH OF LIFE, AND MAN
BECAME A LIVING BEING.”…”15 THE LORD
GOD THEN TOOK THE MAN AND SETTLED
HIM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, TO CULTIVATE
AND CARE FOR IT.”
 PARTNER OF THE CREATOR
• GEN. 1:28 “FILL THE EARTH AND SUBDUE IT,
AND HAVE DOMINION OVER IT.”
• GEN 2:16: “THE LORD GOD GAVE MAN THIS
ORDER: “YOU ARE FREE TO EAT FROM ANY
OF THE TREES IN THE GARDEN
• (2:17) EXCEPT THE TREE OF THE
KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND BAD. THE
MOMENT YOU EAT IT, YOU SHALL DIE.”
 IMPLICATIONS

• SUBJECT OF THE COVENANT: SUBMISSION AND

DEPENDENCE OF THE MAN CREATURE ON HIS
CREATOR.
• BY HUMAN WORK, MAN SHALL HAVE
DOMINION OVER ALL CREATION, AS A
CULTIVATOR OF ALL BEINGS (ALL ARE GOOD
AS THEY COME FROM THE CREATOR) AND
LEADING, USING THEM TO FULFILL HIS
VOCATION.
 THE LIFETIME JOURNEY
• BELONGING – RELATIONSHIP
• BECOMING - IDENTITY
• BEING – VOCATION: MISSION
IMPLICATIONS: MAN BELONGS TO GOD AND
PARTICIPATES IN THE MISSION OF MAKING
HIM KNOWN BY THE WITNESS OF HIS OWN
LIFE. THAT IS HIS CALLING: TO LOVE.
NOTHING ELSE BUT GOD IN ALL.
 CALLED TO LOVE
• GOD WHO CREATED MAN OUT OF LOVE ALSO CALLS HIM TO LOVE –
THE FUNDAMENTAL INNATE VOCATION OF EVERY BEING. FOR MAN IS
CREATED IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD WHO IS HIMSELF
LOVE. SINCE GOD CREATED HIM MAN AND WOMAN, THEIR MUTUAL
LOVE BECOMES AN IMAGE OF THE ABSOLUTE AND UNFAILING LOVE
WITH WHICH GOD LOVES US. IT IS VERY GOOD, VERY GOOD, IN THE
CREATOR’S EYES. AND THIS LOVE WHICH GOD BLESSES IS INTENDED
TO BE FRUITFUL AND TO BE REALIZED IN THE COMMON WORK OF
WATCHING OVER CREATION. “AND GOD BLESSED THEM, AND GOD
SAID TO THEM: ‘BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY, AND FILL THE EARTH AND
SUBDUE IT.’ ” (CCC 1604)
 THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
• “THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON IS ROOTED IN HIS CREATION
IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD; IT IS FULFILLED IN HIS
VOCATION TO DIVINE BEATITUDE. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO A HUMAN BEING
TO DIRECT HIMSELF TO THIS FULFILLMENT. BY HIS DELIBERATE
ACTIONS , THE HUMAN PERSON DOES OR DOES NOT, CONFORM TO
THE GOOD PROMISED BY GOD AND ATTESTED BY MORAL
CONSCIENCE. HUMAN BEINGS MAKE THEIR OWN CONTRIBUTION TO
THEIR INTERIOR GROWTH; THEY MAKE THEIR OWN SENTIENT AND
SPIRITUAL LIVES INTO MEANS OF THIS GROWTH. WITH THE HELP OF
GRACE THEY GROW IN VIRTUE, AVOID SIN, AND IF THEY SIN, THEY
ENTRUST THEMSELVES AS DID THE PRODIGAL SON TO THE MERCY OF
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. IN THIS WAY THEY ATTAIN TO THE
PERFECTION OF CHARITY.” (CCC 1700)
 VOCATIONS/CALLINGS IN LIFE
1. CONSECRATED CELIBACY
A. PRIESTHOOD
B. RELIGIOUS LIFE

2. SINGLE BLESSEDNESS
3. MARRIED LIFE
a. STABILITY
b. SECURITY
c. FULFILMENT IN LIFE
 CALLED TO HOLINESS
• EVERYONE WHO IS BAPTIZED IS CALLED TO A LIFE OF HOLINESS. ALL
THE FAITHFUL OF CHRIST ARE INVITED TO STRIVE FOR THE HOLINESS
AND PERFECTION OF THEIR OWN PROPER STATE.
• THE CHRISTIAN’ FAITHFUL, INASMUCH AS THEY HAVE BEEN
INCORPORATED IN CHRIST THROUGH BAPTISM, … ARE CALLED TO
EXERCISE THE MISSION WHICH GOD HAS ENTRUSTED TO THE
CHURCH TO FULFILL IN THE WORLD, IN ACCORD WITH THE
CONDITION PROPER TO EACH ONE.
• IN THE CHURCH, THERE IS DIVERSITY OF MINISTRY BUT UNITY OF
MISSION. ALL THE VOCATIONS ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE
BUILDING UP OF THE BODY OF CHRIST.
THUS, “CHRISTIAN VISION OF
MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY”