Christ and the Samaritan woman
Pietro Perugino
1506-1507
Art Institute of Chicago
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What is the lay vocation?
The laity are sent to engage in society so that the kingdom of God can grow among men.
A lay person is not a second-class Christian, for he shares in the priestly ministry of Christ (the universal priesthood). He sees to it that the people in his walk of life (in school, family and work) come to know the Gospel and learn to love Christ. Through his faith he leaves a mark on society, business, and politics. He supports the life of the Church, for instance, by becoming a lector or an extraordinary minister, by volunteering as a group leader, or by serving on church committees and councils (for example, the parish council or the board of directors of an institution). Young people especially should give serious thought to the question of what place God might want them to have in the Church. (YOUCAT question 139)
Dig Deeper: CCC section (897-913) and other references here.