Day 126: Prophetic and Kingly Offices

The faithful should "distinguish carefully between the rights and the duties which they have as belonging to the Church and those which fall to them as members of the human society. They will strive to unite the two harmoniously, remembering that in every temporal affair they are to be guided by a Christian conscience, since no human activity, even of the temporal order, can be withdrawn from God's dominion." CCC 912

In today's reading, the Catechism wraps up the teaching on the laity in this section by outlining our role in Christ's prophetic and kingly offices. As with yesterday's reading on the role of the laity in Christ's priestly office, we also have one in these other two as well. Too many seem to think it's all placed on the shoulders of the clergy and Religious, or that the laity should seek a role in excess of our vocation in a sort of democracy-gone-mad. The truth is that clergy & Religious and laity all have their own roles and should collaborate to further the mission of Christ. The Catechism Compendium summarizes our participation in Christ's prophetic office: 

They participate in it by welcoming evermore in faith the Word of Christ and proclaiming it to the world by the witness of their lives, their words, their evangelizing action, and by catechesis. This evangelizing action acquires a particular efficacy because it is accomplished in the ordinary circumstances of the world. (#190)

As laity, we have the power and ability to transform the secular world through our example and witness. Our participation in Christ's kingly office though isn't just about personal growth, but one of leadership and active engagement in the secular world. Through God's graces, we literally have the ability to help change the wider world. As the Catechism Companion, Vol II states:

Laypeople can participate in Christ's kingly office by practicing self-denial. The laity should rule themselves and conquer sin, acting as virtuous leaders in the Church and human society... The laity's participation in Christ's kingly office is essential for building a just and virtuous society. (p. 16)