Why a Consecration?

Because we need renewal

“The time is ripe for renewal,” states Bishop James Checchio in his pastoral letter, Lighting a fire in the heart of our world. After making a personal visit to all ninety parishes during his first year as shepherd of the Diocese of Metuchen, the bishop noted the numerous graces and blessings bestowed upon his flock, as well as symptoms of illness within the fold - many of the baptized are far from God and are not living vibrant faith lives with true apostolic zeal. (Only 15% of the baptized in the Diocese are practicing the Faith.)

The bishop’s intention for this consecration is to ask for the graces needed for a New Evangelization and he is placing it under the patronage of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He wants it to stir up an increased holiness of life, a renewed commitment to living the Gospel message to the full, and the enthusiastic willingness to share that message with others among the faithful.
 

What exactly is a consecration? 

Consecration is a word that is not often heard outside religious contexts, and even then, it may not be readily understood.  To be consecrated means to be set apart for a holy or transformative purpose.  Biblically speaking, consecrations were a means to respond to God’s invitation to be “His people.” 

Although you may never have thought about it or realized it, in the sacrament of baptism, you, too, were consecrated, set apart for God.  You became a child of God called to be his disciple, his witness in the world.  Moreover, you have been empowered by the Holy Spirit with supernatural gifts for the mission of evangelization.  Have you used those gifts to bring others to Jesus?
 
Unfortunately, the reality is that many of us have not always lived up to the responsibilities and promises of our Baptismal consecration, clergy and laity alike.  Sadly, moreover, many baptized Catholics have never fully known or felt a living relationship with God who made them and claims them as his very own.  Because of so many forces in the world, an increasing number of Catholics have fallen away from the life of the Church: not living in an intimate, personal and vibrant relationship with Jesus. 
 
So, today, perhaps more than ever before, we need to personally and communally renew our Catholic faith.  We need to renew our baptismal consecration, determined to be disciples who will ‘light a fire in the heart of our world.’
The bishop’s invitation to be consecrated to Jesus through Our Lady of Guadalupe is a concrete opportunity for each of us to respond in a whole-hearted way to the Gospel in our present times; recommitting ourselves to our Baptismal consecration we will come closer to Jesus, grow in holiness and receive the grace which will enable us to carry on His work.  We will be able to go forth from the comfort of our Churches into the world to bring back the lost sheep, that is, the baptized who are no longer practicing their faith as well as the lukewarm who occasionally show up.  With our faith life rekindled by our communal and personal consecrations, we will be able to lead our brothers and sisters who have left the Church into a life-changing encounter with Jesus.