The Call
This week we celebrate National Vocations Awareness Week. Here is something I wrote for our bulletin followed by some links to material I have previously written on my website.
The Call
This week we celebrate National Vocations Awareness Week. During this week I invite you to think about what sisters, brothers, deacons, or priests have made a difference in your lives. I also invite you to ask yourself if there is somebody you know that might make a good sister, brother, deacon, or priest. If there is, tell them.
I stress “tell them” because it might be exactly the nudge they need. It was for me. Let me tell you about two consecutive days that were important in my discernment.
I was already having thoughts about becoming a priest but since I had only been back to church a little over a year, I discounted the thoughts. One Sunday, the pastor was away. The priest filling in was in charge of the seminarians. I thought about talking to him after Mass but he was busy with others so I left without talking to him.
The next day I went to work. Upon arriving I found some correspondence on my desk that I read through and then took it to another person. I said good morning to which that person responded, “Good morning, so what’s this I hear you are leaving to become a priest?” I was dumbfounded and stood there in silence till I finally said, “Who have you been talking to?” He responded “No one, I just had a dream last night that you were leaving to become a priest. I don’t normally pay attention to dreams but I think you should think about it.” I just said “Ok” and went back to my desk.
As the day went on another coworker asked me if we could talk. This was odd because our desks were next to each other and we frequently talked. He then said I didn’t need to reply. He just wanted to say he thought I should think about becoming a priest. That’s the day I decided I needed to talk to a priest about this.
I’ll never forget these two days. Even now, fifteen years later, I have goosebumps thinking about it. My point? If those two people hadn’t said something to be who knows if I would have ever become a priest. Again, I invite you to ask yourself if there is somebody you know that you think might make a good sister, brother, deacon, or priest. If there is, tell them.
Now here are the other links:
Peace,
Fr. Jeff