The “Universal Call to Holiness” is one of the important teachings of the Second Vatican Council. The Council document on the Church states:
“In the Church, everyone whether belonging to the hierarchy, or being cared for by it, is called to holiness, according to the saying of the Apostle: ‘For this is the will of God, your sanctification’.”
“All the faithful of Christ are invited to strive for the holiness and perfection of their own proper state. Indeed, they have an obligation to so strive.”
St. Josemaría Escrivá wrote, “You have the obligation to sanctify yourself. Yes, even you. Who thinks this is the exclusive concern of priests and religious? To everyone, without exception, our Lord said: ‘Be perfect, as my heavenly Father is perfect.’”
St. Francis de Sales frequently said that the most important duty for every good Christian is constantly to be seeking to perfect himself in his own natural calling. In other words, he should perform all the duties of his calling more and more perfectly.
Bishop Jean Pierre Camus, a faithful disciple of St. Francis de Sales, wrote, “I have been puzzled when I hear of men who having dedicated themselves to God complain because they are called into many active duties which they label ‘great distractions.’ But is any occupation really distracting, save those which separate us from God? Yet only sin can do that. No lawful occupation separates us from Him; indeed, it is a means for closer union. This may be said of all callings, physicians, lawyers, merchants, artisans—every kind of rightful calling may be directed to the glory of God amid the most violent conditions.”
The Second Vatican Council states: “All Christ’s faithful, whatever be the conditions, duties and circumstances of their lives—and indeed through all these, will daily increase in holiness, if they receive all things with faith from the hand of their heavenly Father and if they cooperate with the divine will. In this temporal service, they will manifest to all men the love with which God loved the world.” St. Josemaría Escrivá wrote, “‘Great’ holiness consists in carrying out the ‘little’ duties of each moment.”
Bishop Camus wrote, “Common duties become religious acts when performed with fervor. Heartiness and diligence foster charity in their performance.” The bishop pointed out that one of St. Francis de Sales’ principal maxims was that any devotion which was in opposition to, or not in conformity with, man’s true calling, was not an authentic devotion. The saint said that genuine devotion was consistent with every state of life, and this he likened to the liquid poured into a container, which immediately adapts itself to any shape.
In his spiritual classic, Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales wrote, “The devotion that is true hinders nothing, but on the contrary it perfects everything; and that which runs counter to the rightful vocation of anyone is, you may be sure, a spurious devotion. Aristotle says that the bee sucks honey from flowers without damaging them, leaving them as whole and fresh as it found them—but true devotion does better still, for it not only hinders no manner of vocation or duty, but, contrariwise, it adorns and beautifies all. Throw precious stones into honey, and each will grow more brilliant according to its particular quality—and in like manner everybody fulfills his special calling better when subject to the influence of devotion—family duties are lighter, married love truer, service to our king more faithful, every kind of occupation more acceptable and better performed where that is the guide.”
真實的虔誠美化責任
普世成聖的召叫』是梵二重要教誨之一。有關教會的文獻說：
『所有在教會內的人，無論其屬於聖統階級或為聖統所治理，都領到了成聖的使命，就如保祿宗徒所說：「天 主約意旨是要你們成聖」（得前：四，3）。』
『每位基督信徒都被邀請，並有責任獲致聖德及本地位的成全。』
聖若若瑟瑪利亞，施禮華寫道：『你有聖化自己的本份。對，你也有。誰說這是神父和修道人的專職？我主曾對所有人，任何人都不例外，說過：「你們該是成全的，如同我天父是成全的一樣。」』
聖方齊、沙雷氏經常說，一個十分好的基督信徒最重要的責任是在他本身的召叫中，恆久地去要完善他自己。換句話説，他應該滿全他被召叫的一切責任，一點點的日趨完美。
加繆主教，一位聖方濟沙雷氏的忠實門徒寫道：『我感到困擾，當我聽到一些奉獻自己給天主的人埋怨說他們被召叫作不少主導的責任，這些他們稱之為「大的分心」。但是，除了令我們與天主分離的事，有什麼的事務是真的分心？只有罪可以如此。沒有合法的事務可以把我們與祂分開；真的，它是一件工具讓我們與祂更緊密地結合。這可以說是所有的召叫，醫生，律師，商人，工匠—每一樣合理的召叫，就是在最強烈的狀況下，都帶領到天主的光榮。』
梵二大公會議說：『所有的基督信徒在自已的生活方式，職位與環境內，並通過這一切，以 信德精神從天父手中承受，並和天主聖意合作，把天主眷愛世界的愛情，在世俗服務 中顯示給眾人，則可每日增進聖德。』聖若若瑟瑪利亞，施禮華寫道：『「偉大的」聖德，在於履行每一刻的「小責任」。』
加繆主教寫道：『當平常的責任以熱情執行，便變成宗教的行為。真心和審慎在行為中育出真愛。』這主教指出聖方濟、沙雷氏的一句格言是，任何的一份虔誠，如果相反於或不符合人的召叫，不是真的虔誠。這聖人說，真的虔誠在生命的一切狀態下都是始終如一的，這一如把水傾倒到一容器內，它會立刻適當地改變形態。
在靈修經典『熱心生活入門』中，聖方濟、沙雷氏寫道：『真誠的熱心絕不破壞，而應成全一切並完成一切。如果熱心神業與人的職業和地位有衝突，那麼毫無疑問地是假的。
蜜蜂從花叢中採蜜，絲毫不傷害或破壞鮮花；鮮花仍然是完整無缺的、絲毫不受污染的，仍然是盛開的。真誠的熱心不僅如此：它不破壞人的事業和職責，而且使事業大展鴻圖，並使職責多彩多姿。正如一顆鑽石浸入蜂蜜中，更顯示出其晶瑩的光澤；同樣，如果人的事業與熱心神業互相配合，也就更為悅人，更加完美：操持家務變得更輕鬆愉快，夫婦間的恩愛也更為誠摯；服事元首也更為忠心耿耿；盡各種職務也都更為勝任愉快。』
