I remember distinctly saying “No” to the question posed to me by our Mother Superior when I was in 7 th grade if I thought I had a vocation to religious life. I knew there was something other than that for my life, though at the time, I didn’t know what. Back then, vocation was thought of mainly as priesthood or religious life. It was looked at as something you decided to say “yes” to, and then you followed that for the rest of your life. For many people, that has been true. However, I would venture to say, that even those who have chosen a vowed life, learned that there are many moments of discernment throughout the years in how that commitment is lived out.
What I have found in my life is that I have been led each step of the way by something greater than my own desires. From my first “vocation” of wife and mother, which I embraced whole-heartedly, to that of teacher, marriage-prep team, RCIA team, theology student, Adult Faith planner and presenter, to social justice advocate and activist, I have seen the grace of God working in my life to help me share my God-given gifts.
There have been many times when I felt lost or unsure of what I should be doing with my life, but I believe the graces of Baptism and Confirmation enable us to find our calling at any particular moment. If we keep that question before us, “What does God want me to be doing with my life?”, and keep a listening ear and open heart, God will speak to us and show us the way, usually by placing people in our lives who show us the face of God. I remember hearing at a retreat, someone reading a quote that said, “a vocation is where our passion meets the needs of the world.” I have always found this to be true. If we are prepared to answer the call, we will see the opportunities placed before us without any questions about whether this is right.
Vocation is not a static state that we live in, but a dynamic “yes” to the many ways God calls us throughout the ever-changing circumstances of our lives to reach out and serve others.
If we nurture our prayer life, and have a desire to always be ready to serve, the discernment will be clearer. We can help one another as we all journey to use our gifts, and St. Patrick-St. Anthony has always provided opportunities to learn, to pray, and to reach out. All of us have a vocation, and some in a clearly defined profession, but others lived in ways to meet the needs of a changing world around us.
-Submitted by Patty Panetta