Personal consecration

This may signify the total dedication of a person to God, a setting apart, thus separating him or her from ordinary human ties and becoming exclusively the servant of God. It can also be taken to mean not only belonging to God but the free choice to accept and live in accordance with particular vows or responsibilities, whether those fundamental to baptism or these taken in addition, for example a vow of virginity. Such consecration is often accompanied by a rite or ceremony symbolizing the type of consecration involved. Once consecrated, the rest of life requires perpetual vigilance as the tension between divine absolutes and temporary realities are acted out. In many orthodox and devotional traditions, such as Jewish and Hindu, this implies the carrying out of even the most simple daily acts in accordance with divine precepts.