Ad Honorem Immaculatae Conceptionis Mariae Oblatio

69 with Mary, is among the first in a long line of men and women who, from the beginning of the Church until the end, are touched by God’s love and feel called to follow the Lamb, once sacrificed and now alive, wherever he goes (cf. Rev 14:1-5), (VC, 23). As per the documents of the Magisterium, after Mary and John the Evangelist, all of the prophets, and especially Elijah (cf. VC, 84), deserve a privileged place. The contemporary theology of the consecrated life, examining the bib- lical foundations of related issues, draws attention to the need for a correct hermeneutics and to avoid fairly common methodological errors. 2 Some- times certain texts of the Holy Scripture are treated as if they were to refer solely to the consecrated life. When using texts from the Gospels, ideas arise to complement what these texts do not say, for example with parallel passages from other evangelists, with no regard to the theological pecu- liarity of the works of individual biblical authors. It also happens that the essence of religious identity or the theology of the vows is explained based on the texts of the Holy Scriptures taken out of a wider context. A selective compilation of passages fitting a predetermined interpretation and leav- ing out what does not fit may also become a serious abuse. Therefore, the appropriate methodology will consist in examining the biblical sources, a proper exegesis, looking for broader biblical contexts and inspirations that help to understand the identity of the consecrated person. 3 The Magisterium’s contemporary teaching on religious consecration The need for a precise, renewed presentation of the identity of the religious person was established during the work of the Second Vatican 2 Cf. G. Perego , Nowy Testament a życie konsekrowane , transl. K. Stopa, Częstochowa 2010, pp. 12-14. 3 One of the examples of such an approach is the application of typological theology. Cf. S.M. Sessa, Profeti per le nazioni. Antico Testamento e vita consacrata , Edizioni San Paolo, Cini- sello Balsamo 2015; S.M. Sessa, La “consacrazione” nella Sacra Scrittura. Approssimazioni meto- dologiche e focalizzazioni tematiche: tracce per un dibattito , in: Congregazione per gli Istituti di Vita Consacrata e le Società di Vita Apostolica, Consecratio et consecratio per evangelica consilia . Atti del Seminario Internazionale. Roma 1-3 marzo 2018 , Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Città del Vaticano 2019, pp. 43-58.