VOCATIONS TALK, by Michael Whitney
WHEN I stop and contemplate where my life is heading, I often get frustrated and become impatient with God.
I want all the answers now and I want to know it all.
I don’t know if it is just me, or if others are like this, but I often find myself wondering what will my life be like in one, five, 10 years down the road.
A large part of my frustration is the concern and wonder I constantly feel as I make both the small and large decisions that are part of everyday life.
I often sit and contemplate if the choices I am making are the right ones.
How are these going to affect me and my family in the coming years?
Sometimes these thoughts almost paralyse me and prevent me making any decision at all.
As difficult as this is, we must all carry on in life, simply navigating life and its multitude of hurdles as best we can.
In my own discernment journey, I had the impression that if I went about life and did my prayers and included God in most of the decisions of life he would just reveal if I was being called to the priesthood, married life, religious life or, single life.
So for many years I just went about living my life the best I could and believed that was all I needed to do, and that God would reveal all to me.
Looking back I realise that wasn’t the case at all.
It wasn’t until I made a decision to actively explore a call towards a specific vocation that I was able to see where I was being called.
This process took prayer and action to realise the vocation God had called me to.
This is a prayer written by Bishop David Ricken that might be of help to you in your own vocational discernment journey.
Almighty God,
You have given me the gift of life,
and the gift of your Holy Spirit.
For these incredible gifts, I thank you
Help me to use them well.
Deepen within me a desire to do your will.
Help me to hear and answer your call to serve you.
Guide me to the vocation you have chosen for me,
as a loving spouse and parent in the Sacrament of Marriage,
as a single person living a life of generous service,
or through a special call to serve you in Religious Life or the Priesthood.
May your Holy Spirit keep me always close to your Son Jesus,
and help me to say yes to Him
with the gift of my life.
Amen.
This weekend marks the second Quo Vadis weekend of the year and for eight men they are looking at both prayer and action to help discern where God is calling them to in their lives.
They are committing to nothing other than taking a weekend to explore where God might be calling them and to learn more about what it means to be a priest.
Quo Vadis is a weekend that gives the opportunity to gather more information about a calling to the priesthood and on discernment.
Continue to pray for an increase in all vocations but especially an increase in priestly vocation.
If you would like more information about attending a Quo Vadis weekend or on vocation discernment please call 1 300 133 544 or visit www.catholicpriesthood.com.
Michael Whitney is the vocations officer for Brisbane archdiocese.
