Vocation is a word that has often been used primarily to label a calling to the priesthood or the religious life. However, vocation in its broadest sense simply means "a calling." As such the term cannot be confined to the priesthood or to the religious life alone. The other states of life are as much a vocation as being a priest or a religious. Therefore, if vocation is "a calling," we must take time to listen to it so that we may know what and where we are meant to be. This process of listening is essential if only to fulfill the deepest longing of our human heart to find meaning in life.

As persons, we are called by the providential arrangement of circumstances, by the realities of life, by our own limitations and potentials, by the historical moment, and by our own emotional, intellectual and psychological needs. If one follows the teachings of the abbas and ammas of the desert and of the fathers and doctors of the Church in this regard, one comes to accept that a vocation is found in the providential arrangement of significant aspects of life and by the grace which we receive to make the best of these situations.

The process of listening and sifting through the providential arrangement of significant aspects of one's life as well as the grace to seek the truth of one's situation and to determine the best true response to God's love is called "discernment."

Unfortunately we have the tendency to overuse or misuse the word "discernment". We call discernment anything that has to do with making a decision, even if it might just entail the simplest choice between two brands of material goods. We also tend to use the word discernment when all we want to do is merely make a prudent decision about certain matters through the use of our common sense. Therefore not all decision-making processes fall under the category of discernment.

Discernment requires the capacity to reflect theologically on one's situation and life. When we listen and sift through the providential arrangement of significant aspects of our life and when we receive the grace to seek the truth of our situation in prayer so we might determine the best true response to God's love, we move toward insight about our life, an insight which leaps out of our discerning heart. There comes a meeting of two insights - God's and ours from which we begin to see with our inner eyes of faith what God desires in us and for us.

Discerning the Call

In discerning one's call to the priesthood, religious life or to a religious ministry, it is extremely important to keep in mind that this particular vocation is primarily a calling to dedicate one's life to the service of God. As such, it is much different from just deciding to choose a particular career. It is not just a call to do anything, go anywhere, or become something, although these may be part of the response.

2 The process of discerning one's call is an effort - both human and Divine - to choose a state of being that expresses one's best response to God's providential care and love. As such, it can never be undertaken alone since it calls for the interaction of two persons - the person of the discerner and the Person of God. Thus, discernment is always within the context of one's personal relationship with God.

Prayer and Discernment

Prayer is at the heart of one's relationship with God. Prayer disposes the person to the reality of God's guiding and leading presence in one's life. Prayer enables one to know the Other through a dialogical relationship.

Thus, discernment cannot be divorced from prayer, otherwise it will not be a true one. Discernment is not something one acquires by simply learning methods and techniques, although these can be helpful tools in the process of discernment itself.

Discernment is, first of all, a gift one seeks daily in prayer. One learns to hear with one's heart Christ's voice, to know its tone, sometimes, even to know what he is going to say before he says it. Discernment is an invitation born out of an intimate friendship and union with the Lord. It is a gift that enables one to distinguish the leadings of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, a person entering into a discernment process must, at least, have the seeds of faith within oneself. One must be convinced that prayer strengthens and deepens one's bond of friendship with God. One must also believe that prayer and faith give purpose and meaning to a life lived in dedication and commitment to God's service.

Praying God's Word

God's word in Sacred Scripture is an enduring sign of the Holy One's desire to be in constant communication with us. We must make an effort to listen openly. This is an important disposition in entering into dialogue with God. We must set aside our self-centered desires and biases in order to understand truly the meaning of God's word in our lives.

We are invited to interact honestly with God's word by interpreting it within the context of our life situation. Yet, we must also be mindful that God's sacred words in scripture were originally written in a different language within a particular culture, time and place by persons with a totally different worldview than ours. It is important that we understand the context in which it was written. Instead of interpreting its meaning literally, we must simply listen to God's enduring message for us in our present context. Thus, our interpretation of God's word involves the meeting of two cultures and worldviews - our own and that which conditioned the scripture we are using for prayer.

This honest interaction with scripture is a way of experiencing God's word. Here, we understand "experience" as a happening or occurrence in which we are active or passive participants. It involves an inner dimension - our thoughts, feelings, images, attitudes, aspirations and hopes - as well as our responses to the events and situations against the backdrop of God's word.

In this interaction with God's word, it would be helpful for the one going through the discernment process to be aware of the following "movement toward insight:" We enter our experience, we encounter our feelings.

When we pay attention to those feelings, images arise.
Considering and questioning those images may spark insight.
Insight leads, if we are willing and ready, to action.
This movement as explicitated by O'Connell Killen and de Beer "can strengthen and refine our habit of reflection."

Praying God's word does not only involve the habit of reflection, it also requires patience and trust. Given the complexity of our world and the limitation of human comprehension, we cannot always readily understand the meaning of God's word. This can create within us a feeling of discomfort, impatience or confusion. However, we must not give up easily, but wait patiently and trust humbly that in time, God will lead us to its meaning.

The first act of prayer is God's, not ours. All God is asking from us is to dispose ourselves to the action of the Spirit and to acknowledge with humility that God is the One who acts in and through us. God is the One who enables us to respond in love and service.

There are many ways and methods of praying scripture. In fact, many books and articles have been written about it. But, the simplest way to begin is to take a chosen or suggested passage and read it slowly and meditatively. We pause at a word or phrase that has an impact on us, repeating it to ourselves with great reverence like a mantra until it finds a quiet center within us.
Don't rush! Take time! Be yourself before God! In great simplicity-
LISTEN OPENLY,
INTERACT HONESTLY,
WAIT PATIENTLY and
TRUST HUMBLY.

Opening Meditation

To begin the prayer journey, take any of the following Scripture passages for meditation. Ask for the grace of OPENNESS TO GOD'S WORD and for the LIGHT to recognize and acknowledge the leadings of God's Spirit:
o Isaiah 55:6-11..."Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call to him while he is near..."
In what ways am I experiencing the invitation to seek God in my life?

o Wisdom 7:7-29..."I prayed and understanding was given to me."
How have I gained wisdom and understanding through prayer?

o Proverbs 2:1-15 "...If you heed my words and value my commands... then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and you will find the knowledge of God.
In what ways have I found greater knowledge of God through listening to God's word?

o Psalm 25..."Teach me your ways, O Lord; make me know your paths..."
How have I experienced the Lord's guidance in my life?

o Psalm 119:33-36..."Incline my heart to follow your will and not my own selfish desire..."
In what ways have I experienced God's invitation to move away from my selfish inclinations and to submit myself to a higher inspiration?

o Jeremiah 29:11-14..."When you call on me, I will listen. You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart."
In what ways have I sought the Lord with sincerity of heart?

o Hebrews 3:7-14..."Listen to what the Holy Spirit says..."
What feelings and realizations do I experience whenever I listen to the Holy Spirit through scripture and the events of my life?

o Hebrews 4:11-13..."For the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword..."
In what ways have I experienced the effect of God's living word in my life?

Let my prayer rise like incense…