by Br Joe Tesar, MSC
A vocation is a calling to a way of life, Sacrament of Matrimony, single, Sacrament of Holy Orders or to Religious Life as a Sister, a Brother or a Priest. It is a call from God built into our very being from the moment of our conception as a response to our Baptism. Our attraction and response to this kind of life or that, to this person or that person is part of our spiritual experience. The flow of our loving or our giving, our openness to receiving in our relationships is regulated by our cooperation with the work of God within us, our vocation. I want to share how to respond to spiritual experience, and how to respond when that experience is God’s call to a certain kind of life. And every vocation is a certain kind of life.
Saint John of the Cross writes that a spiritual experience can come from one of three sources - God, self, or Satan.
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If it comes from God we need to share it with someone whose wisdom and love we trust and then turn our attention to Jesus, to honest living and loving in our present situation.
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If is comes from ourselves, and we can easily fool ourselves about things like this, we need to share it with someone whose wisdom and love we trust and then turn our attention to Jesus, to honest living and loving in our present situation.
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If it comes from Satan we need to share it with someone whose wisdom and love we trust and then turn our attention to Jesus, to honest living and loving in our present situation.
Since we do the same for all three, we need not even worry about where it comes from. If it is from God it will have it’s effect. And He will confirm it in other ways. Too much worry and trying to figure it out can interfere with what God is doing.
So what do we do? We go on living and loving in our life’s situation. We grow more attentive to what is for our peace. Chances are the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) will flow more easily in our lives if we find and live in peace.
Looking for our peace:
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We reflect on what our life would be like in five years, in 20 years, on our deathbed in whatever life styles we are contemplating.
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We ask “Where did I experience the most peace after each of these reflections? The feelings after the reflections are the truer indications of our peace or lack thereof.
What if we make a mistake in our discernment of a calling to Religious Life? Be not afraid. God does repair work. First of all we have years after entering before we make a final commitment. We can back out and search again for God’s will for us. And if we choose another way of life love’s fruit of the spirit can still flow through our lives. Whatever our commitment, religious life, priesthood, married life or single life, God is always with us loving us and loving through us. He wants us to be at peace, not to be afraid, and to trust His love for us and those around us.
If you would like to take a step further in discerning if you call is to be a Missionary of the Sacred Heart, you can contact Father Andrew, our vocation director:
Father Andrew Torma, M.S.C.
Office of Vocation Ministry
4821 S. Hermitage Ave.
Chicago, IL 606609
Email:
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Phone (630) 862-0979 |
