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If you’ve wondered what mission God has in store for you, then you’re in the right place. In the book of Isaiah we are told: “I have called you by name and you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1).
The call
Throughout our lives we experience multiple callings. This series of calls is part of our vocation, a word that comes from the Latin word vocare, which means to call.
The first call from God is when he calls us into existence. We’ve all been called as human beings, men or women, each of us in a different context and in a particular geographical area.
This isn’t our only calling; rather, it helps set the stage for where we will discover our mission in life as we grow and evolve.
Fr. Alfonso Navarro, in his book Misión en el mundo (“Mission in the World”), points out that we often reduce the meaning of “vocation” to religious vocations. When we do so, we aren’t considering the different calls that God has for each one of us in different states of life. Some people are called to marriage or to a particular profession for the common good, such as medicine, social work, etc.
As we grow we discover our vocation through our talents and abilities. Fr. Alfonso explains that we carry in our physical and psychological makeup a specific directionality that will make us feel inclined towards a certain path.
But to discover what this path is, God not only calls us, but also equips us and sends us. Just as we prepare ourselves in our studies for an exam or an important interview, in the same way God equips us for the mission to which we are called.
Nothing is by chance. The place where we find ourselves and our physical and intellectual traits are part of our mission, because God already had it in mind before we were born.
Here are some tips to help us discover and follow our mission in life:
1
DISCOVER WHAT YOU’RE MADE FOR
How can we discover our mission? Fr. Alfonso Navarro recommends that we do it in the light of the Gospel. Reading and meditating on Sacred Scripture can lead to inspiration in our heart.
It can help to write down our talents and abilities and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the path.
2
ACCEPT THE MISSION
Jesus says: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (Jn 20:21). This shows us that even Jesus himself had a mission: our salvation. He saved us because he accepted the mission the Father gave him. What would’ve happened if he hadn’t said “yes” to his mission? In the same way, Jesus sends his disciples, including us. It’s a great responsibility, but also a privilege. We can’t imagine all that God can do through us if we cooperate with him by accepting our mission!
3
EQUIP YOURSELF FOR THE MISSION
We can strengthen ourselves and prepare for our mission in life by forming our good habits, practicing virtues with constancy, and serving others. This requires daily prayer and making an intentional effort to form ourselves.
It’s highly recommendable to seek a spiritual director to help us in the process of our vocational discernment.
4
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES
As in any journey, there are obstacles. We may have doubts, fears, or uncertainties. We will also face temptations — the evils that the world offers us under the guise of good, such as individualism, indifference, and even selfishness, among many others.
We must be constant in prayer and surround ourselves with good friends who will help us in the process.
Whatever our vocation is, if we follow it we will be serving a greater good. If it’s marriage, we are called to build a healthy family, with values and longing for heaven. If it’s religious life, we’re called to be a light for many with our testimony of faithfulness and service. And if it’s a profession, we can also serve the common good, such as a doctor who dedicates her time to seek a cure or a teacher who cares for and educates children.
Not all jobs have a strongly apparent vocational aspect, but no matter what we do, our vocation can be ennoble it by our faith and dedication, and by using what we earn responsibly, not forgetting the needs of those who are less fortunate.
Whatever your calling, may your vocation always be based on Love, as St. Thérèse of Lisieux said.
And today we celebrate...