On Vocations and Perfection

Vocation

• From the Latin verb vocare – to call

• This call is a divine call, and it is important to remember that God’s call has priority in relation to our response, for this call is both logically, ontologically and temporally prior to our response.

Two Types of Vocation

• Universal Vocation – the universal call to holiness is shared by all for it is specific to us as human beings, as persons called to communion with God and all people in heaven and on earth, in grace and in sin.

• Particular Vocation – Concerns particular goods and ends in service to and intrinsic to our universal vocation

Examples of Particular Vocations

• Marriage

• Consecrated Religious Life

• Single Life

Life Plans

• Concerns a specific set of commitments that may be, but is not necessarily intrinsic to one’s particular vocation and our universal vocation

• Examples of Life Plans: College, Career, Occupation, Residence, Children and so on.

Perfection

• Two Distinctions and Four Types:

• Perfection of a Form and Perfection toward a Goal

• Perfection of a Skill and Perfection of Human Action

Perfection of Form

• All created things in virtue of being a particular created thing have a perfection, for all created things are willed by God and thereby naturally good, and play a particular part in the drama of the perfection of the universe.

Perfection toward a Goal

• All created things have a nature and thus a goal that indicates how they are perfectible.

• Example: The purpose of choirs is to sing well in harmony.

• Example: The purpose of human beings is naturally to live well and ultimately to be in eternal communion with God, for this is the only communion that truly abides

Perfection of a Skill

• Standard: Craft• Criteria: Matter of Difficulty (Skills are not

acquired with ease. Think about the skill of writing.)

• Context: Narrow Area of Expertise• Relation to Our Will: Not necessary, for skills

after time can be automatic• Relation to Human Happiness: Extrinsic

Perfection of Human Action

• Standard: Virtue• Criteria: Matter of Difficulty (Virtues are not

acquired with ease, and in the case of theological virtues, they are infused.)

• Context: Whole of Human Life• Relation to Will: Necessary, for in order for

something to be a human act, the will must be engaged.

• Relation to Happiness: Essential