Ad Honorem Immaculatae Conceptionis Mariae Oblatio

92 response, which must encompass the whole of the human person in an ab- solute manner. The person who received the vocation is called to abandon everything and to faithfully follow Jesus’ way of life and to center his entire existence on Jesus. This is a matter of making a total gift of self, of a faithful assimilation, and an unconditional sacrifice (the number of references is enormous and we could quote here practically every paragraph from 14 to 22 of this exhortation). The excerpt from paragraph 16 reflects well this “change” of perspective: It is precisely this special grace of intimacy which, in the consecrated life, makes possible and even demands the total gift of self in the pro- fession of the evangelical counsels. The counsels, more than a simple renunciation, are a specific acceptance of the mystery of Christ, lived within the Church (VC, 16). Changes of emphasis do not mean absence. The Passion character of the religious consecration is clearly shown in the exhortation. The very Trans- figuration scene, as accentuated by the Pope, is related to the mystery of Christ’s departure and prepares for the experience of the Cross; it con- cludes with the “descent from the mountain” towards Calvary (VC, 14, 23, 40). The contemplation of the Cross that the disciples experience on Tabor has fundamental significance. The Holy Father says directly that “It is in the contemplation of the Crucified Christ that all vocations find their in- spiration. From this contemplation, together with the primordial gift of the Spirit, all gifts, and in particular the gift of the consecrated life, take their origin,” (VC, 23). The Paschal dimension of the religious life is inseparably linked to fidelity to the mystery of the Cross. The consecrated person shall experience the mystery of God who is Love more deeply and directly to the degree that he wishes to remain under the Cross of Christ. By fidelity to the mystery of the Cross, he professes his belief in the love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and lives it out. In this way, he contributes to the re- vival of the awareness in the Church that the Cross is God’s superabundant love, which is being poured out over this world (cf. VC, 24). Statements demonstrating the Passion dimension of specific aspects of the religious life are scattered throughout the document. They regard the practice of the three evangelical counsels, facing the troubles and annoyances of life, experiencing crises, self-sacrifice in the service of others, exposing oneself to dangers and the risk of martyrdom, as well as cloistering, asceticism,