Andrew Rickie Lam
Christ the King Secular Institute
Merry Christmas! My new born king has come in the renewal of my consecrated vows. Due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic situation, I was permitted to renew my vows in Hong Kong by the president of the Christ the King Secular Institute in Milan. Thanks to help of my one-time classmate in theology, Guadalupe Father Salvador Rojas Vega, the rite was celebrated in St. Teresa’s Church, Kowloon, on the feast of the Christ the King.
While the pandemic has become more serious in Italy since March 2020, I found inspiration from the circular letter written the president of my institute. It was a letter of encouragement on how to live out our spirituality during the pandemic. Going back to it many times, reflecting on it and praying over it shed light on some aspects of consecration and secularity.
Consecrated secularity is the main characteristic of a secular institute. Consecrated reminds us that our vocation originates from God our Father, who asks us to live out the life and mission of Christ by following “him more closely, by practicing the evangelical counsels… dedicated to him… under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit” (Perfectae Caritatis n.1). Then, our loving response to his covenant of love here and now, is manifested in being faithful to the evangelical vows of poverty, obedience and chastity.
How do we live out our secularity in this time of pandemic? The letter states that “the coronavirus pandemic has created trying times for nearly all of humanity… It has drastically changed our lives in many aspects—work, economics, politics, social, school, relationships, leisure time and even religion.” Those are actually the secular aspects for us to live out the task of evangelisation by a “life perfectly and entirely consecrated to such sanctification” (Pius XII, Provida Mater), that is “the perfection of charity and work for the sanctification of the world especially from within.”(Canon Law n.710)
To live out the spirituality of consecrated secularity, we are challenged to search for appropriate new models of living from the secular life instead of from “narrower Catholic circles”—asking our Lord why there is so much evil as well as the appeal to the local Church to suspend public Mass and other community gatherings.
This is the actual moment of our true secularity—walking with all humanity during this time of insecurity and apparent helplessness. Now is the hour for witnessing in words and deeds.
We open ourselves more to continuous conversion of heart and mind—changing our bad habits, rethinking our values and priorities in life, looking deeply into our human and family relationships, examining our use of technology and even our political standpoints towards peace and justice.
Undoubtedly, due to the various limitations in this period, our commitment to poverty has to be expressed in a simpler lifestyle. A life of honesty and integrity is set before us as persons called to be poor in spirit. Living out chastity means not only bodily purity through detachment from inappropriate intimacy but also purity of heart accompanied by prayers.
Gazing at God in silence, pondering the Word of God enables one to accept the difficulty of human distances and loneliness, the threat of sickness, economic recession and unemployment, the grieving for the death of family members and friends. The pandemic situation not only invites us to share the bitterness of purification, in communion with the souls in Purgatory, as the best sacrifice and prayers for them in the past month of November, but also shapes our heart towards cleanness, hope and love in these recent days of Advent to welcome the coming of the Infant Jesus.
This world health crisis becomes the tool for learning the obedience of faith like Abraham and Virgin Mary our Blessed Mother (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church nn.144-149). Their lives gifted by God, show us that to safeguard the primary common good is above the fulfillment of personal human desires and freedom. It means that our witness of faith and mission today is to live in obedience—to maintain social distancing, be mindful if health instruction, prevention strategies and following all the practical recommendations for individuals and communities regulated by the local or national governments.
Despite of all the difficulties brought about by this critical time in our history, the Holy Spirit is always there, strengthening and encouraging us in our life of consecrated secularity. His grace enables us to be steadfast in prayer strengthens us to accept one’s personal weaknesses with sacrifice develops in us true love to accompany our families, friends and co-workers gives us courage to reach out to those in need through spiritual or material support.
What Pope Francis proposes in his encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, On Fraternity and Social Friendship—continuous dialogue, cooperation and love in solidarity, will guide our Christian witness during this time of pandemic.
May the obedient father of Jesus Christ (n.3) as mentioned in his new apostotic letter, Patris Corde, guides us in the path of secular life and obtain for us grace, mercy and courage in the coming Year of St. Joseph (until 8 December 2021).
