“Vocation” is defined in Webster’s New World Dictionary as: “The career to
which one feels he is called. If there
is a calling, the calling comes from someone believed to be the Almighty God.”
Often times the idea of a vocation is
limited to the priesthood or religious life.
It can also apply to the married and single life. But the reality is that it embraces each and
every way of life that
God calls a person to live and to serve the human family.
To recognize the call from God we must
be aware and analyze the attractions and desires of our hearts, the talents
that are given us and the circumstances in which we find ourselves. There are a lot of ways in which we’re
called. Through prayer and fasting, or
silent reflections; the model presented by parents, friends or siblings can
also trigger the call. Certain special
events in our lives, whether calamitous, triumphant, or personally unique, can
make God’s call audible for many people.
The Letter to the Hebrews tells us
that God has called people over the ages, in fragmentary and
varied ways. But now He speaks to us through
his Son (Hebrews 1:1-6). Obviously,
this applies to God’s
revelation for our salvation, but Jesus speaks to all of us individually in the
events of our lives as well, though not always as He spoke to the apostles in Mark’s
Gospel. “Come
follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mark
1:14-20)
Although this analogy is a clever turn
of phrase, Jesus wants us to know that His call will demand the use of talents
that He has given us. The apostles were
fishermen. Fishermen are tremendously
patient, know when and where to ply their trade, the bait to use and how to set
their lines and nets in order to bring in the greatest catch. So armed with these same skills and talents
the apostles will find themselves bringing people to the Lord.
Happiness in our vocation will come
from responding to God’s
call. Every effort to try and force our
vocation into a channel for which we have no talents, or circumstances will not
allow, or for wrong or selfish reasons will only bring on frustration and
bitterness.
We should constantly challenge
ourselves questioning Christ’s
call in our life. Do we occasionally
renew the desires that initiated our career?
Are we using our talents to make that career profitable in God’s service?
And finally, have circumstances changed so that our career no longer has
meaning in God’s eyes? Hard questions, but they can pay large
dividends for us and for the Kingdom.
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