Temptations against one's vocation

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northstar3 said:
I found a small oratory that is headed by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (institute-christ-king.org/greenbay/) which is about a 40-45 min drive from where I’m at. I have to admit, I’d be rather nervous going to a Mass there…not being familiar with the TLM and all, but will consider it for sure!
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Yes the Institute is AMAZING! I wish I had one of their parishes near me! What a blessing! Read up on the traditional Mass as bilop noted. It’s a good idea to attend a High Mass your first time too.

Pax Christi tecum.
 
strugglingalong said:
I had stopped discerning a vocation to the priesthood or religious life years ago. It wasn’t for me, I thought. Because of my sinfulness, because of my weaknesses, because of my struggles it couldn’t be for me. Yet it never went away. And now God is showing me why and He is showing me that I can’t let it get away because in His love He has a beautiful calling for each of us where we can love Him and be faithful to Him.

But I’ve realized that those who consider the priesthood and religious life face a lot of difficulties. Fears come up. Doubts appear. Temptations arise whereby the evil one tries to lure the soul away. There is the excitement and the joy and the peace when we realizes Jesus is calling them but those experiences, in time, fade and the trial begins. What appears to be most needed is perseverance, a realization that the vocation isn’t all excitement but rather is a road also of trials, sufferings and testing.

I’ve just been told, and I believe it is God’s will, to follow a possible call even when that call appears hopeless, even when logically you think it couldn’t be for you (I’m not speaking of objective issues that would hinder one from religious life). Why does God call sinners to Himself? Why does He continue to love even when we’ve so very often rejected Him? He is so very good and so very loving even to us His wretched, poor children. In embracing this vocation I have seen hope grow in my heart; something has “clicked” and it is just right although I could never really explain why. I don’t know why He calls. He just calls because He is good, because He is mercy, because He is love.

All of that to say - sorry, I didn’t intend to write so much! - that I think those who are open to the priesthood or religious life need to realize the important of persevering in discernment even when you have fears, doubts and sufferings; even when it seems like it isn’t for you. If it’s not for you God will make it known to you. If it is for you, there is nowhere else for you to go…except into the arms of Divine Love.

I realize it now: there is nowhere else for us to go but in God’s will, there we’ll find all He has for us in His immense love for us. His vocation for us is so very good.

Our enemy will fight us whenever we commit to God’s will. He will seek to destroy us, cause us to doubt, try to tempt us to sin. But we must always trust in Divine Love and Divine Mercy even when it seems ridiculous and difficult.

Pax Christi tecum.
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I felt the same way. I have a vocation too. I am called to become a sister. I still am discerning. I still fear and doubt. I ask Jesus to take this feeling away when I feel overwhelmed by all this. I was looking at orders like Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth, and the Dominican sisters! I like them both. I feel that is more for me. The career I want to do is teach, I would like to become a preschool-elementry teacher someday. I will pray for you. We have to ask are selves is this me, go to a retreat or talk to a priest about your fears I do and my best friends are servents of Christ. Nuns, priests, monks, brothers. They all love there job maybe you would too.

Dont ignore Jesus call. Answer him. Jesus loves you as he loves me. We are imperfect but we can try to avoid these temptations. I hope this has helped you in many ways my brother. Go and do what Jesus has called you to be I know you will do great! Dont hesitate or stop! Just go do it. No one is stopping you only Satan because he knows what scares you tell Satan get behind me. And tell him to go back to were he came from. 🙂 Lift your head up high and smile and just say I CAN DO It. or in my native language Si Te Puete!~
 
PraiseGodxJMJ said:
I felt the same way. I have a vocation too. I am called to become a sister. I still am discerning. I still fear and doubt. I ask Jesus to take this feeling away when I feel overwhelmed by all this. I was looking at orders like Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth, and the Dominican sisters! I like them both. I feel that is more for me. The career I want to do is teach, I would like to become a preschool-elementry teacher someday. I will pray for you. We have to ask are selves is this me, go to a retreat or talk to a priest about your fears I do and my best friends are servents of Christ. Nuns, priests, monks, brothers. They all love there job maybe you would too.

Dont ignore Jesus call. Answer him. Jesus loves you as he loves me. We are imperfect but we can try to avoid these temptations. I hope this has helped you in many ways my brother. Go and do what Jesus has called you to be I know you will do great! Dont hesitate or stop! Just go do it. No one is stopping you only Satan because he knows what scares you tell Satan get behind me. And tell him to go back to were he came from. 🙂 Lift your head up high and smile and just say I CAN DO It. or in my native language Si Te Puete!~
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Thank you for your very encouraging post! That is great that you’re trusting Jesus in everything, giving your fears and doubts to Him. I know it can be difficult but He loves and cares for you. The difficulty I have is that if I am called to the priesthood or religious life, I will most likely have to spend around 5 years living in the world, paying off my debts. I guess it is a time to learn to love Jesus more and to grow in patience! But it is difficult for sure.

Thanks for your great post!

Pax Christi tecum.
 
I had come across the following website a while ago, but forgot about it…did some googling 🙂 and found it again. It’s a grant program one can apply for if student loans are preventing a person (man or women) from entering religious life. See more at: fundforvocations.org/Home.php
 
northstar3 said:
I had come across the following website a while ago, but forgot about it…did some googling 🙂 and found it again. It’s a grant program one can apply for if student loans are preventing a person (man or women) from entering religious life. See more at: fundforvocations.org/Home.php
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Thanks! I’m going to keep them in mind!

Pax Christi tecum.
 
Thank you. Your post came at a perfect time. I’ve been experiencing a lot of spiritual ennui and I go for my aspirancy in 1 week. I’ve been thinking, or rather pushing out thoughts such as: “If you can’t pray now, what will you do when you’re praying 7 times a day? Maybe you should just cancel. Maybe the vocation is gone. You know what Jesus said about the lukewarm: I will spit you out.” And a lot of other negative thoughts.

Even if you recognize that you have to persevere through, and that these temptations are evil, it can be hard. So, thank you for your encouragement. It was just what I needed to hear.
 
toknowservelove said:
Thank you. Your post came at a perfect time. I’ve been experiencing a lot of spiritual ennui and I go for my aspirancy in 1 week. I’ve been thinking, or rather pushing out thoughts such as: “If you can’t pray now, what will you do when you’re praying 7 times a day? Maybe you should just cancel. Maybe the vocation is gone. You know what Jesus said about the lukewarm: I will spit you out.” And a lot of other negative thoughts.

Even if you recognize that you have to persevere through, and that these temptations are evil, it can be hard. So, thank you for your encouragement. It was just what I needed to hear.
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I know, even when we know something is evil or a temptation it can be very difficult. May Our Lord strengthen you! Those thoughts sound like the enemy. Jesus never tries to get us to give up, especially on prayer or the spiritual life. The Holy Spirit only urges us on and leads us into truth, not to tell us to give up or quit. Keep going! Jesus goes with you!

Pax Christi tecum.
 
Had an interesting tid-bit I thought I’d share.

Yesterday we had the 2nd collection for the seminary in our diocese.

The seminarian who came to speak was returning to seminary after 23 years. He had made it to 4th year, left, and has now returned as a 3rd year seminarian.

The Lord sure is persitent, isn’t He. 😉

God Bless
 
bilop said:
Had an interesting tid-bit I thought I’d share.

Yesterday we had the 2nd collection for the seminary in our diocese.

The seminarian who came to speak was returning to seminary after 23 years. He had made it to 4th year, left, and has now returned as a 3rd year seminarian.

The Lord sure is persitent, isn’t He. 😉

God Bless
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Wow, that’s amazing! Yes the Lord is persistent. I can see in my own life how very persistent He is. Surely He is a very good, very loving Father to His poor children!

Thanks for sharing that! It’s encouraging (at least to me as someone who had given up discerning and started again).

Pax Christi tecum.
 
strugglingalong said:
Wow, that’s amazing! Yes the Lord is persistent. I can see in my own life how very persistent He is. Surely He is a very good, very loving Father to His poor children!

Thanks for sharing that! It’s encouraging (at least to me as someone who had given up discerning and started again).

Pax Christi tecum.
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We also had another recent ordination who took two breaks from the seminary, and returned.

At his first Mass, the homilist joked he was the only man ever accepted to that seminary 3 times.

God Bless
 
bilop said:
We also had another recent ordination who took two breaks from the seminary, and returned.

At his first Mass, the homilist joked he was the only man ever accepted to that seminary 3 times.

God Bless
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😃 That’s funny!

How’s it going with you Bilop?

Pax Christi tecum.
 
strugglingalong said:
😃 That’s funny!

How’s it going with you Bilop?

Pax Christi tecum.
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I’m good. The company I work for is going through some tough times, so that’s scary, and we’ve had no luck having kids, but everything else is OK.

How about you?

God Bless
 
bilop said:
I’m good. The company I work for is going through some tough times, so that’s scary, and we’ve had no luck having kids, but everything else is OK.

How about you?

God Bless
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Oh, sorry to hear it.

I’m okay. Selling my car and trying to figure out how to get my debt out of the way so I can really consider my vocation more but other than that things are going well, thanks be to God.

I pray Our Lord will help you through all the difficulties you’re facing. It’s amazing how He provides for us.

Pax Christi tecum.
 
strugglingalong said:
Oh, sorry to hear it.

I’m okay. Selling my car and trying to figure out how to get my debt out of the way so I can really consider my vocation more but other than that things are going well, thanks be to God.

I pray Our Lord will help you through all the difficulties you’re facing. It’s amazing how He provides for us.

Pax Christi tecum.
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Oh, I don’t view them as difficulties, we’re doing fine compared to a lot of people.

Thank you though.

Have you contacted the Serrans or the KofC or any others groups that help with vocations? They might be able to help pay off your loans, when you are admitted to seminary.

God Bless
 
bilop said:
Oh, I don’t view them as difficulties, we’re doing fine compared to a lot of people.

Thank you though.

Have you contacted the Serrans or the KofC or any others groups that help with vocations? They might be able to help pay off your loans, when you are admitted to seminary.

God Bless
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No, I haven’t. I contacted the Mater Ecclesia fund who gives grants for student loans for vocations. I’ll keep KofC and Serrans in mind too.

Pax Christi tecum.
 
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