How God Calls

[goforgoal]

How God Calls

The word vocation comes from the Latin word *vocare,*to call. A vocation is a free invitation from God.

Are you called? Yes.

What does it mean to be called by God? Whatever your state in life, you are called.

A “vocation” encompasses three distinct callings or aspects in our lives:

a) We are called into **being…**Who does the Lord call us to be?

b) We are called to be Christ-like.–We are called to become ourselves in God (Spirituality).

c) We are called into **doing…**What the Lord calls us to do for Him and for others (Ministry).

1. We are called into being. What does the Lord call us to be…

Your very being is a call. Infinite love calls you forth from nothingness into actuality, into being, into life, into love. God spoke a word and we were called into being, and at each moment you are called into being…Your very being, all that you are, is a response to His basic call to you to share His being, His goodness, His beauty, His life. He has made us with a desire to love, to love an infinite, unlimited good in loving Him. We are called to know and love God by the very makeup of our being, by the potency that we are.

All creation is made for the glory of God. That means us as well. This makes us participants in the goodness and beauty of God, and are called to proclaim this goodness and beauty by returning it to Him in acknowledgment and praise.

2. We are called to be Christ-like…to become ourselves in Chirst

We have been baptized into Christ, made one with the Son of God. A oneness, beyond anything we can possibly conceive. “I live now, not I, but Christ lives in me.” We are called and called again into sonship and daughthership. This is the one basic Christian vocation, common to us all and giving meaning to all else that we do. It is a sublime vocation, and calls us to live the inner life of the Trinity. It is a call to friendship and intimacy, and is not a prerogative of a few it is the common call of all Christians.

3. We are called into Ministry and doing

This call leads us into action, service of God and of other’s in Christ’s name. A sign of God’s call in our lives is that it moves us beyond ourselves and towards others.

How Does God Call?

Through the nature of our baptism we share in the Universal call to holiness, and the Second Vatican Council speaks of this before on the specific calls to priesthood or religious life. Religious life is a call within the call to holiness (so to speak) that help us live out our fundamental call to holiness and the perfection of love. Forms and tasks of life are many but holiness is one.

The Lord calls us to this specific expression of life and love in many ways. Each individual is unique, and each individual’s journey into love is unique, I will simply try to p(name removed by moderator)oint various aspects of God’s call which are often experienced in vocational discernment.

God Calls Us Through His Grace

3 Graces at Work in the Evolution of a Vocation

God calls by fashioning our hearts and our understanding through His grace. When we begin to discern a particular vocation within the church, God’s call comes to us with His grace. It is only through His grace that we can discern His call in our lives. In the case of religious life this spiritual grace, vocational grace make it possible for you to see the choice to be unmarriagable for the kingdom as a good choice.

1. The first vocational grace by which God calls us is the grace to see the beauty of all particular vocations. God does not call us by giving us a dislike for other vocations, but rather a deeper love for them all. On your own it is not possible to see the beauty or meaning or spirituality of celibacy as lived in religious life and priesthood. It is only through God’s grace that the meaning and beauty of this choice is perceived.
2. The second vocational grace is that you perceive one or more of these vocations as beautiful for yourself. The woman has the qualities to be a good religious sister, would also make a good mother. You may see the vocations as beautiful, but not for yourself, but many persons today do realistically see several forms of Christian life as very attractive options for themselves. You must take a good look at the options, only in this way can you make a fully informed human choice.
3. The third vocational grace is the one whereby a person chooses a particular vocation and effectively carries through in embracing it and living it with joy and the other fruits of the Spirit. When one can do this one can be certain of his/her vocation, for he/she cannot do this of himself/herself, only by the grace of God which is vocation. It is in making the choice and pursuing it that we have the clearest evidence of the presence of a true vocation.

As we look at these three graces, we can see God calls us through our human parameters.

 

[goforgoal]

God Calls us Through Our Intellect

He gives us the human ability to
-reflect on the situation
-weigh advantages and disadvantages of our options
-try to foresee consequences
-gives us people to consult

If our universal call from God is that of holiness our intellect has the task of finding the solution in which we have more of a chance of doing so (for ourselves). God calls us through our intellect by asking us which solution will give you the opportunity to be the presence of Christ…to live agape which is the total self-giving in love.
-to be the one you are, and no one else, to give of self, to be open to those around me, society, to be reconciled, and in harmony with myself.

God Calls Us Through Our Affectivity…Our Heart

God calls us through the essence of our human condition to help us make a decision. We screen with our heart what we discover with our head in order to make a decision that is ours…the decision is really ours and ours alone. Our emotions are like a sounding board. It is important to be aware of our feelings in any situation, whether we are reflecting or praying about some decision. God asks us to take our solution from the intellect and let it sink in. “The longer I weigh this option the better or worse I feel about it”

God Calls Us From Where We Have Come, and Where We Are At

God calls us as we are not as we hope ourselves to be. He calls you with your unique personality, temperament, gifts, talents, weaknesses, and personal history. You are called and loved as you are. God calls you through all this to grow into the best self you can be and into union with God. God does not call us out of a place we have never lived. He calls us out of our sinfulness and our brokenness, but also toward the saint He already sees in us. We must take ourselves where we are at, not where we would like to be, and cannot be. God does not ask the impossible.

God Calls Us Through Other Individuals

It is by coming into contact with Jesus, now living and walking through our lives in other Christians that we come to perceive the different possible Christian vocations open to us and we find ourselves attracted to our particular call so that under grace we can effectively choose it. The call to religious life needs modeling that is perceptible, incarnate presence. Through their lives these people awaken in us the desire to live lives consecrated exclusively to the love and service of the Lord. Are you here because you have been touched, moved, inspired by another person thus have begun to see religious life, as a viable option for yourself?

Signs of God’s Call

How do I know it is God

1. Gentleness- God’s call is gentle. God was not in the earthquake…nor in the fire…nor in the mighty wind, but in the sound of a gentle breeze. The call of God is heard on gentleness and silence. It is never forced upon us. This is why prayer is so vital in a process of discernment.

2. Persistent/insistent- He never give up or goes away. Behold I stand at the door and knock, if one opens… He wants to live a life of intimacy with us but He waits…
-The idea was often in my thoughts and I could not chase it away.

**3. Respectful and humble-**It is a call in no way merited; yet nonetheless, a true call to intimacy with God Himself. God’s call always leaves us free to say yes or no. Our freedom resides in our power to love and make the most loving choices. Christ will never violate that freedom.

4. A desire for “something more”- We may have it all, our possesions, a good job, car, and end up wanting “something more.” That “more” is often described as a call. “I want more” or “I want to give more.”

When listening and discerning God’s call keep in mind one question, and continue to trust that the Lord will reveal Himself to you.

**Which Way Can I Best Grow as Lover? **

Here is a little test

Does the idea of becoming a sister keep coming back time and time again?

Do you feel called to give more, to be more?

Does your relationship with God sustain you, enliven you, invigorate you in such a way that you want to share the Good News with others?

Do you long for more?

Do you find your weekly ministry (if you have one) more life-giving and energizing than your 40 hour (or more) work week?

Do you have a sneaking suspicion that you are on the brink of a life decision?

Are you afraid to tell friends and family that you are thinking about a church vocation?

Does the idea of becoming a religious excite you and at the same time frighten you because you feel “unworthy”?

 

[littletherese3]

Thankyou for this info! It is very helpful for anyone finding their vocations.

 

[wina]

**
Here is a little test**

Does the idea of becoming a sister keep coming back time and time again?

Do you feel called to give more, to be more?

Does your relationship with God sustain you, enliven you, invigorate you in such a way that you want to share the Good News with others?

Do you long for more?

Do you find your weekly ministry (if you have one) more life-giving and energizing than your 40 hour (or more) work week?

Do you have a sneaking suspicion that you are on the brink of a life decision?

Are you afraid to tell friends and family that you are thinking about a church vocation?

Does the idea of becoming a religious excite you and at the same time frighten you because you feel “unworthy”?

And if the answer “No” only 2 from all questions, What does it mean?

 

[goforgoal]

littletherese3,wina, and anybody-I received the information when I went to a weekend retreat (I actually went to three different one’s) at the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary that’s where I received most of my information from if you look at my posts/threads. Hopefully, I can someway or somehow use what I received to help someone else out who are discerning a vocation.

I actually did see the “Here is a little test” on other websites.

This one is from

alleganyfranciscans.org/becoming_October_05.html

Are you being called to religious life?
Take this “Vocations Anonymous Test” to find out!

Answer “yes” or “no” to the following questions:

1. Does the idea of becoming a religious sister keep coming back time and time again even though you thought you had moved on in your life and forgotten about it?
2. Do you feel called to give more, to be more?
3. Does your relationship with God sustain you, enliven you, and invigorate you in such a way that you want to share the Good News with others?
4. Do you find your weekly ministry more life-giving and energizing than your 40 to 60 hour workweek?
5. Do you long for “MORE”?
6. Do you have a sneaking suspicion that you are on the brink of a major life decision?
7. Are you afraid to tell friends and family that you are thinking about becoming a Sister?
8. Does the idea of becoming a religious sister excite you and at the same time frighten you because you feel “unworthy”?

If you answered, “yes” to several of these questions, God may be inviting you to “Come follow Me!”

Here are other websites with the same “test”

marycrest.org/discern.htm

theursulines.org/vocations.htm

wina (and anyone else)-hopefully I answered or at least shed some light on your question. Pray, talk to your Priest, Pray, spiritual director/advisor, Pray, contact/visit religious communties (sometimes you can stay with them on a weekend or even a month), and don’t forget to Pray.

goforgoal