What is a Vocation?
When we talk about vocation it is crucial to keep in our mind that:
- God is a source and an initiator of each vocation.
- God’s call is absolutely gratuitous.
- Everyone is called by name that means God calls us personally.
- God calls us to attain the fullness of self- identity in Christ Jesus,
- Through each vocation we attain fullness of our self-identity in Christ.
- God knows us better and knows what the best is for us.
- God calls in various ways and wants our happiness.
The word "vocation" simply means "to be called". Every member of the Church is called to holiness (Lumen Gentium, Ch V). The call to holiness is common to everyone but responding to that call is unique and particular for each of us. Our vocation is the particular way that we live out that call to holiness.< We live out the God’s invitation to be holy either through ordained and religious life, married life, or single life. We are called to love and serve God and each other through different lifestyle. Each vocation is a special and unique call to follow Jesus closely and commit to love. A vocation is not defined by doing, by any specific role or function. It is primarily a matter of being, in which life is consciously embraced as god’s pure gift, pregnant with meaning and purpose, and lived out in generous and wholehearted response to God’s call. Every vocation, as a stable and definitive choice of life, opens up in three directions: in relation to Christ every call is a "sign", a particular way of revealing the face of the Lord Jesus; in relation to the Church it is a "ministry" a pure gratuity of the gift for the community, for the common good, in the dynamism of many ministerial services; in relation to the world it is "mission", a seed of the Kingdom and witness to the Kingdom. (New Vocations for a New Europe, no.19c, 1997)
How God is calling us?
Pope Francis said “God asks everything of us, yet at the same time he offers everything to us.” Most vocational journeys contain a few key moment when the lord’s invitation to “come follow me” is heard as a direct and personal call to a heart. This call is mediated gradually in prayer, through events in our personal history, inward reflection on own abilities and desires, through people and nature. God uses variety of ways to convey his invitation. We need to pay our attention and trust God. Listen with your heart, not just your head!