vocation talk

Good morning.  My task this morning is to welcome you and at the same time to give a brief introduction on what vocation is.

We are gathered here this morning to celebrate Vocation Awareness Month.  In his letter Pope Francis  emphasized to us that vocation grows in the community – it is discerned, it is encouraged, it is nurtured, it is made to mature and it is supported in the community.  This is the reason why we gather. We are here to help each other listen to God's voice as he calls us to each one's mission and purpose in life.  So welcome to the St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary – our venue for today.

What is a vocation?

In its broadest sense vocation is a call – it is God's call for each one of us – how we live our lives, how we can contribute to make a difference in the world around us.  It includes what we do, who we are and how and what we choose.  This is not just a profession, this is not just a means of living, although sometimes they may overlap – but overall my profession, how I earn my living – whether I am a teacher or a nurse or a doctor or a management specialist aids me in living out my vocation.

But that is going ahead of the story.  Let's begin where we all begun.  Some people say we all started in our mother's womb, but I say we all started in the mind of God.   God said to Jeremiah, "Before I formed you in your mother's womb I knew you."  God knew us, we were already in the mind of God before we were conceived in the womb of our mothers.  And in putting us in the wombs of our mothers before we were born God did so because God has a purpose and God loved us.  God has a purpose.  We are not accidents, we are not here by mere chance, you are not unplanned.  God was not indiscriminate when he created you nor are you a random product of nature.  You were created on purpose and with love.  May tuyo kag ginhigugma.  May mahigugmaon nga tuyo kag plano ang Dios para sa akon kag sa imo.

So what is our purpose then, in his love for us what does God want from us.   “God created us so that we might know, love, and serve him in this life and be happy with Him forever." This is God's purpose, this is the reason why we exist, this is the reason why we are born.  We were born because God loves each one of us, he wants us to know him, to love him, to serve him in this life so as to be happy with him forever.  Living out God's purpose for all of us is sometimes referred to as the first vocation – the vocation or the call to holiness.

When a person loves you and you want to love him or her in return, you will want to know by asking the person how do you want me to love you, how do you want me to serve you, so that I can be happy with you forever?  How?  So we ask the Lord the same thing, how Lord – how do you want me to love you, how do you want me to serve you so that I can be happy with you forever.  This is the second vocation – our particular way of knowing, loving and serving God.

So, Lord how do you want me to love and serve you?

Do you want me to establish a family, have a husband or a wife, have children, educating them supporting them, loving them, make them great citizens of our country and God's kingdom?

Lord do you want me to be single so that being free from the responsibilities of family life I can commit myself better to the service of others?

 Lord do you want me to be a priest, to represent you in the community of believers, to preach you word, to celebrate the Eucharist, to dedicate my entire life solely for the church?

Lord do you want me to follow the path of consecrated life following Jesus through the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience – consecrating my life entirely to you so that free for prayer and service?

As we plant the beginnings of discernment it is my prayer that this day is as prayerful as it is fun; it is imbued with seriousness as much as it is imbued with joy.  Welcome to all of you.