Last week I was invited by the principal of our parish school to be one of two speakers at an assembly on vocations. A former teacher, Mr. M, and husband of the current eighth grade teacher gave a PowerPoint presentation about vocations focusing on life’s goals, purpose and the call from the perspective of God’s influence in our lives. My part was an extemporaneous offering dedicated to my call from God on why I was called to become a deacon and accepted.
Mr. M strung together an easy thought pattern for students from second through eighth grades that was both easy to understand and to implement, if one chose to do so. His examples were simple that all could identify in their own lives so the three areas made sense to their connection. When he finished with a round of applause from the attendees, all I needed to do was reference and reinforce his setup of the topic without redefining the three main areas.
In the 15 minutes I talked, I unfolded a brief history of how I came to know God through the guidance of relatives, friends, coworkers and fellow worshippers. In each scenario I realized that my acceptance of what I learned was centered on my point of reference. God was orchestrating the journey for me to follow, but the path I took often was in another direction prolonging my time of practicing my faith in the way God offered.
Even today, I sometimes wonder, with all the knowledge I have been exposed to through prayer, Sacred Scripture, living a Sacramental life and following the teachings of the Catholic Church I still question God’s ways. For me it is experiencing the process of what is happening at the time, and trusting that God created me for a purpose with all the gifts I will need to fulfill His call to me. It is a matter of faith that God loves me and wants the best for me, knowing that as a human I will periodically deny God with my free will choosing my sin nature over my relationship with Him.
My salvation, therefore, is locked into God’s love, mercy and forgiveness. And though I sometimes put stumbling blocks in the way of being the disciple he handpicked, I know I must work all the harder to become the apostle into which I must grow to spread His word to all those in need.
In our readings and Gospel this fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time, three pillars of faith, one from the Hebrew Scriptures and two in the New Testament: Isaiah, St. Paul and St. Peter, respectively, all admitted they were sinners and not worthy to do the work they were called to do on behalf of God. And, yet, God still chose them despite their failings. He knew that once they understood the call of God, they, for the most part, would proclaim God’s Gospel message to all they encountered.
Being an ordained deacon in the Roman Catholic Church does not give me any extra credence to proclaiming God’s Word and ways any more than a lay person. My faculties, due to ordination, allow me more time to specifically spread the word from the Ambo at church and at other venues as school assemblies. But it is the stories we share with others with the gifts God has given us that makes the difference as to whether what is offered is accepted or rejected. All of us have a relationship with God by our creation and, as Catholics, by our Baptism which calls us to reach out to all in need, whether they practice a faith or not.
All three men from the readings and Gospel came to realize that though they were not worthy on their own, they knew what their vocation was because God, from the beginning, gave them wisdom and understanding to set a goal, prepare a purpose and acknowledge their call to say “Yes” to God’s call. In essence, they embraced God’s call symbolically and in reality.
Let us take this week to look deep into our heart, soul, mind and strength for God’s call to better understand the purpose for why He created us. Identify a goal(s), a purpose(s) and our specific call(s) to selecting a vocation(s) that will enlighten us and those to whom we reach out. And when we have done so, let us implement them by trusting in our faith in God that we are fulfilling His call to us under His love and protection.
“In Him who is the source of my strength I have strength for everything.” Philippians 4:13.
Reading 1: Isaiah 6: 1-2a, 3-8
Reading 2: First Corinthians 15: 1-11
Gospel: Luke 5: 1-11
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