Discerning a Vocation..........(article)

[BarbaraTherese]

Here is what I thought is a good little article on discerning a vocation to the priesthood or religious life…and I thought could be applied to any sort of discerning of God’s Will.
The article was written by Fr. Anthony Bannon, L.C.

http://www.catholic.net/RCC/Periodicals/Dossier/1998-07-08/vocation.html

."…let me explain to you lest you think I am against vocations.

The big problem with discernment, at least as many understand it, is this: it often turns what should be a vital conversation with God, the experience of the breath of God on one’s life, the stirring of our deepest and noblest aspirations, into a cold examination and spiritless calculation of risk, preferences and rewards, and the ceaseless rummaging for signs. Instead of increasing trust, discernment — as practiced by many — stifles it, robs our search of all elan, and overrides love as a factor in our decisions.

The nature of discernment itself has something to do with this, and also the fact that in the matter of vocation, discernment is only one element, and perhaps the one that we have least control of, though it commandeers most of our attention and is the one we are most anxious to embark upon…"…

 

[Aureole]

Thank you for sharing that wonderful article. I never imagined some of the things that could be harmful to a vocation that he mentioned. It was extremely enlightening. I also don’t always think of the regular things God has been nudging me with; we’re always looking for miracles but they rarely occur. I know I’ve fallen in my discernment a number of times. This article has provided me with some great insight. Thank you.

God bless. Keep helping those with vocations!

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Aureole:

Thank you for sharing that wonderful article. I never imagined some of the things that could be harmful to a vocation that he mentioned. It was extremely enlightening. I also don’t always think of the regular things God has been nudging me with; we’re always looking for miracles but they rarely occur. I know I’ve fallen in my discernment a number of times. This article has provided me with some great insight. Thank you.

God bless. Keep helping those with vocations!

Hi Aureole…yes I thought the article dispelled some myths and brought things down to practical terms with sound common sense in the light of Faith. I guess we can forget now and then that practicality and common sense are God’s Gifts too to be valued and used wisely…and miracles after all since we would be in real trouble without them.

May God bless you too…Barb

 

[Aureole]

BarbaraTherese:

I guess we can forget now and then that practicality and common sense are God’s Gifts too to be valued and used wisely…and miracles after all since we would be in real trouble without them.

That’s all too true. Practicality and common sense are some of God’s greatist gifts to us, fortunately we use them from time-to-time. Miracles are another wonderful gift; where would we be if we didn’t have miracles? St. Peter got to hear, touch, and see Christ. He could perform miracles in the name of the Son, still Peter denied the Lord.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Aureole:

That’s all too true. Practicality and common sense are some of God’s greatist gifts to us, fortunately we use them from time-to-time. Miracles are another wonderful gift; where would we be if we didn’t have miracles? St. Peter got to hear, touch, and see Christ. He could perform miracles in the name of the Son, still Peter denied the Lord.

Hi Aureole…thank you for the Post. I had a real giggle at “fortunately we use them from time to time”…good insight!

There are God’s great miracles, wonders, awesome matters that unfold all day and every day in every moment: language, reading, typing, computers…and the very act of breathing itself. Miracles abound…and then there are those times when God chooses to act outside the laws he has instilled in nature and the universe…and we have mircales in the classical sense of the word. Yet all the former as well as the latter come about from God’s choice, His Will, which is forever sacred, holy and wondrous!!!
And in Peter we see a pretty ordinary kind of guy, person…what a stumble bumble type of person he comes across in the Gospels - yet chosen to be our first Pope and leader by Divine Power. Here is a man desperately in need of God’s Mercy as he denies Christ…the very same man who some years later was to be crucified because he was a Christian, a follower of Christ, and who asked to be crucified upside down because he was not worthy of dying like his Lord…he was crucified upside down.
In Peter and his life we see not only God’s Awesome power to transform, but His wondrous Mercy…and surrounding a very ordinary type of person in the street man and human being.
The power of love…for undoubtedly Peter loved adoringly his Lord.

Thanks heaps for your Post and insight that revealed a very subtle sense of humour I thought.

Barb:wave:

 

[Aureole]

BarbaraTherese:

Hi Aureole…thank you for the Post. I had a real giggle at “fortunately we use them from time to time”…good insight!

Thank you, I can be humourous every so often.

BarbaraTherese:

And in Peter we see a pretty ordinary kind of guy, person…what a stumble bumble type of person he comes across in the Gospels - yet chosen to be our first Pope and leader by Divine Power. Here is a man desperately in need of God’s Mercy as he denies Christ…the very same man who some years later was to be crucified because he was a Christian, a follower of Christ, and who asked to be crucified upside down because he was not worthy of dying like his Lord…he was crucified upside down.
In Peter and his life we see not only God’s Awesome power to transform, but His wondrous Mercy…and surrounding a very ordinary type of person in the street man and human being.
The power of love…for undoubtedly Peter loved adoringly his Lord.

Thanks heaps for your Post and insight that revealed a very subtle sense of humour I thought.

Barb:wave:

My priest uses stumble bumble as well! It must be another name for St. Peter, right up there with “Cephas”! And I have to agree, St. Peter was really in need of God’s power. The great thing is that he got it, plus some other things he had no idea he could do! When you leave yourself in God’s power, even stumble bumble’s can accomplish much.

Thinking about St. Peter made me think of other saints God managed to accomplish much with because they left themselves totally in His care. I’m so thankful for the saints, I don’t know where I would be without their help.

 

[Prometheum_x]

BarbaraTherese:

Here is what I thought is a good little article on discerning a vocation to the priesthood or religious life…and I thought could be applied to any sort of discerning of God’s Will.
The article was written by Fr. Anthony Bannon, L.C.

http://www.catholic.net/RCC/Periodicals/Dossier/1998-07-08/vocation.html

A good article. I just don’t understand why so many only refer to the priesthood or religious life when they talk about “discerning a vocation”. It makes it seem like marriage is just a wordly thing and not a calling from God.

 

[imagine7777]

Thanks for the article! It’s very helpful, as you said, even for those not discerning a religious vocation.

I’ve been looking for something like this recently.

 

[Aureole]

Prometheum_x:

A good article. I just don’t understand why so many only refer to the priesthood or religious life when they talk about “discerning a vocation”. It makes it seem like marriage is just a wordly thing and not a calling from God.

I’m not sure why someone would talk only of the religious life when they are “discerning a vocation”. Maybe they’re just confused on what a vocation is? I’m not sure, you would have to ask the individual.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Prometheum_x:

A good article. I just don’t understand why so many only refer to the priesthood or religious life when they talk about “discerning a vocation”. It makes it seem like marriage is just a wordly thing and not a calling from God.

I think it might be called ‘spiritual elitism’ …to my mind the guy who collects my trash, who does a good job and is always a happy fellow and likes his work has a call from God and a vocation …I mean where would we be if no one collected our trash?..where would we be without marriage…without priests and nuns…without saints…The Pope…all calls from God or vocations. Is one more important than the other…how can a call from God be graded…it is holy and sacred by virtue not of its essence or what it is…rather it is holy and sacred because God Calls and if I follow His Call I am holy and sacred by virtue not of myself and what I do, but by virtue of being one with God’s Will in my vocation etc.

Good insight in your Post Prometheum I thought!

Barb

 

[Lorrie]

A wonderful article indeed. I recently decided I would seriously contemplate becoming a religious, this article will definitely help me in my discernment. Thank you for sharing it.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Lorrie:

A wonderful article indeed. I recently decided I would seriously contemplate becoming a religious, this article will definitely help me in my discernment. Thank you for sharing it.

Hi there Lorrie…here in Australia Lorrie is either a male or female name, so I had a peek at your profile, but still cannot discern whether you are aspiriing to a religious sister or priest or brother (i.e. whether your name is male or female)…and of no matter really.
I have ‘met’ on CAF quite a few indeed who are considering religious calls and this is a real delight to me and a priviledge…nuns, religious and priests have a traditional soft spot in the hearts of most if not all Catholics.

On another Catholic Discussion site we are praying The Rosary continually for “all who have asked for our prayers, and those who may need them”…consider yourself prayed for in your discerning and for your future joy, peace and fulfillment in following whatever The Lord’s Will may be for your life.

I am glad that the article is proving helpful to others and tho written on the subject of a religious call, it can be translated into discerning God’s Will in any matter.

Barb:wave:

 

[Lorrie]

Hi Barbara

Thanks for your (and others) prayers, I can’t tell you how much it is appreciated by me. I feel so blessed because not only do I now realize I have you guys praying for those like me, I also have our bishop, his sister’s convent, my mom and a slew of friends.

And wow, I didn’t know that Lorrie could either be female OR male in Australia! Here in the states the norm is that a person named Lorrie (or Lori, or Laurie…lol) is female (which is what I am).

Thanks again!

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Lorrie:

Hi Barbara

Thanks for your (and others) prayers, I can’t tell you how much it is appreciated by me. I feel so blessed because not only do I now realize I have you guys praying for those like me, I also have our bishop, his sister’s convent, my mom and a slew of friends.

And wow, I didn’t know that Lorrie could either be female OR male in Australia! Here in the states the norm is that a person named Lorrie (or Lori, or Laurie…lol) is female (which is what I am).

Thanks again!

Hi again Lorrie…just goes to show why we are called “The Downunders” here in Aussie land…we really are a weird sort of mob in any man’s language but appeallingly so in the main…here Laurie and its variations is most usually male and at times female …trust an Aussie!!!
My goodness girl (a term of endearment in aussieland no matter age)…with the quality of the people you have praying for you as you mentioned in your post above, and the quantity…ye are convent bound…no David Murries…a way of saying here - No worries!

Barb smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_144_2.gif