31 through the kenosis of the cross. In the New Testament, this passion/paschal dimension of following after Christ is so strong and clear that it must be taken as the basis for every refl ection about the sequela Christi. T he Sequela Christi in the Contemporary Documents of the Teaching Magisterium We are going to attempt here a synthesized presentation of the passages refl ecting the various ways in which the theme of following after Christ is presented in the Magisterium’s documents. The following documents have been studied: The Decree on Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life, Perfectae Caritatis of Vatican II (1965), the Rite of Religious Profession (1970), the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992), the Directive of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life Congregavit nos in unum (1994), the Exhortation of John Paul II Vita consecrata (1996), and the directive of the Congregation Starting Afresh from Christ (2002). In those documents the theme of the sequela Christi appears in several contexts: religious consecration through vows; communion with Christ; mission in regards to the world; the sequela Chrisi as a response to anticipated grace; eschatology; the passion and paschal dimensions. Naturally, the above approaches to treat the topic are not singled out, but interconnected. They are different angles of looking at the same reality. T he Sequela Christi through Religious Consecration This is decidedly the most frequent aspect. It has been emphasized that the consecrated life means a special manner of following Christ by choosing His way of life. This is a following of the chaste, poor, and obedient Christ. The Apostolic Exhortation Vita consecrata, particularly emphasizes this aspect. It treats the matter of religious consecration and the sequela Christi in the context of the Trinitarian life and the communion of love of the Persons of the Holy Trinity. This aspect deals not only with the matter of the vows, but also with the fraternal life: “The chastity of celibates and virgins, as a manifestation of dedication to God with an undivided heart (cf. 2 Cor 7:32-34), is a refl ection of the infi nite • • • • • •
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