Religious life is the genuine and wholehearted dedication of man to the love and service of God. In taking vows of religion there is implied a recognition and realisation of the infinitely great and good God, the fountain and source of all goodness, together with an appreciation of our Lord's love in dwelling among us and planning to have certain creatures associated with him for his own great ends and the vast needs of souls. Thus to dedicate our life to God in the following of Christ is not a decision man makes entirely of himself, no matter how much he may be enamoured with the ideal. ‘It was not you that chose me, it was I that chose you’ (Jn. 15, 16), our Lord told the apostles, thereby signifying that it is for God to choose whomsoever he will. Yet although the initial choice of invitation is from God, it is for us to accept, to acknowledge that call, that divine beckoning. When he has chosen us, we in turn must choose him and choose him alone, choose him to the exclusion of all else.