Lux Mundi: oh no not... VOCATIONS!!! (yes a bit on vocations!)

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

oh no not... VOCATIONS!!! (yes a bit on vocations!)

When people talk about vocations, a lot of us start to squirm. “Here we go again!” that’s something that always used to come to my mind. I always used to feel as if the church was doing everything they could to recruit me and I got a little annoyed. I mean really just give it a rest. Well I lost; I am currently studying philosophy at the local seminary. God willing one day I will be a priest. How did I get here? That is a really long story I hope to tell you one day, but I want to talk to you about something else today.

Why is it worth thinking about your vocation now?

Yes when we use the word vocation we are usually referring to the call to priesthood and religious life, but it includes marriage and even single life. So when I use the word vocation, don’t take it as “oh this guy is trying to make me become a nun/brother/priest,” although I would love it if you did.

It is never too early to start thinking about what God wants from you! That’s all a vocation is guys… what God wants you to do with your life. God does want us all to be saints… that is what we call the common call to holiness... but God also wants each of us to live out a specific mission throughout our lives within the encompassing mission of Christ. So we kind of owe it to our all loving and all merciful God who is the cause for our life. How can you openly ignore the God who created you? I do it quite often actually, it’s called sin, but I don’t want to ignore God. I want to love and serve my Creator. The best way to do that is by honoring His wishes for me. So every day, if I do really believe that, it is my duty to pray, “God what do you want me to do?” It is not easy listening for a response but one always comes. I remember praying the most dangerous and most important prayer a person needs to pray, “whatever you want Lord, I am Yours,” and since the day I said those words for the first time I have daily prayed “O` God, make me an instrument of Your will!”

It is important you ask what God wants. The alternative is a selfish existence. That may sound harsh but it is true. Either God exists and is your creator in which case you owe Him everything you are and will be, or there is no God. I am telling you there is a God and to ignore His will for you makes you selfish. You may be scared, and it will be difficult at times, but it is the right thing to do. I didn’t always want to accept it; in fact I can be a selfish brat at times. I still struggle with submitting to the will of God, but the effort is what matters and day by day it gets easier.

Render unto God what is God’s! Your Creator is asking something of you, and to me it seems like a small thing to offer Him your service in thanksgiving for your life. I am not saying go out right now and buy an engagement ring or enter a convent; merely pose the question, “what does God want for me?” That, my friends, is what discernment is all about, that is your vocation. The rest comes later, priesthood or married life, sister or wife? These aren’t always easy choices, but why should that deter you.

One more thing, don’t fear unhappiness. Listen, I know those are concerns you have, “will I be happy?” But how could your all loving creator ever lead you into unhappiness. You will struggle and suffer, but that is unavoidable. I guarantee you that what God wants of you is the best way for you to find happiness, fulfillment, and true joy. The difficulties will be worth it. God loves you, the question is… will you love Him?

God Love you,

AMDG

Peter James d`Aquino

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About Us

First of all we are all young people and proudly Catholic. We are a group of close friends in college and we are lively and practicing young men and women who have devoted our lives to the service of Christ and His Church in whatever way the Lord sees fit! That is partially the most exciting part of this group. We all went to high school together, and we met in our senior year. A string of circumstances brought us together to pray and discuss our faith. It was a truly incredible time! For now there are only a few of us working on this blog but we hope some others will join us as time goes on.

This Blog was my idea. I have been looking for a way to get involved in spreading the Gospel in a real and effective way for two years. I cannot stand being on the side lines. One day some inspiration came to me: A blog by Catholic youth for everyone. Since I can remember there has been a lack of an intense youthful presence in the Church. That is most certainly changing, and I want to be part of it! In my many experiences with catholic blogs, I have had to go to several places to read all the information and discussion I wanted, so my thought was to create a one stop blog, simple and easy, which has several “voices” with one directed sound. I don’t know if that makes sense. I want to have one direction with several different authors and perspectives but all young. I also don’t want the writing to be overly elevated nor obsessively analytical, which can sometimes scare people away. But we also can’t dumb down the faith; to do that would be an insult to the one true faith. That, for the most part was the idea! There are things similar, but none like what I was really hoping to do. One night I was blessed with this inspiration. But I have been frightened to take it on, that is one of my faults, misguided fear. The idea wouldn’t go away and I figured I needed to try but I couldn’t do it alone. There was only one group of people who could help me do this and so I enlisted the help of my friends; and here we are.

A little bit on our beliefs: We are most definitely and unapologetically Catholic. So, although this may be a cliche, if you need more information, google the phrase Nicene-Constantinople Creed. That should sufficiently point out our doctrinal backgrounds. One thing we do wish to express explicitly is our total reliance on the authentic authority of God, both in Heaven and on Earth. We commonly encounter that which is on Earth, although it is eternally united to that of the Lord! What we are saying is we submit ourselves to the judgment and guidance of the Holy Father and the Magisterium. That is of the utmost importance. Many Catholics today neglect authentic Revelation (i.e. Tradition) and authentic authority! But that is for another time!

We love Christ and His Church. We are not perfect, in fact we are sinners, and I particularly am quite the sinner! However we are striving for holiness and to live a saintly life so that we might in the next life be rewarded with entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven.

We hope you find your way to an informed faith through this blog. We don’t expect to reach millions but maybe a few will find us and be inspired, maybe someone will find us and through the grace of God find his way to authentic Catholicism. If but one finds this to have made a positive impact in his life, it shall all be worth it! But we will be careful; we don’t wish to have a negative effect on anyone!!!