Vocation Essay

Hearing God’s Call
How do priests, deacons, and religious brothers and sisters help us to hear God’s call in our lives?

There are many ways that priests, deacons, and religious brothers and sisters help us to hear God’s calling. All of our religious leaders help us by teaching us about our vocation. We learn about the calling of being a priest, religious brother or sister, married life or living a life of a single person. These callings from God are different for each and every one of us.

When do we hear God’s calling? There is not a given time when we will hear God’s calling. You may hear your calling when you are a child or you may not hear your calling until you are an adult. You may also not hear your calling until you go though a great deal of pain, happiness, or both. Just remember that God will not abandon you. You must stay patient with God. He will call you when he knows it is the right time for you.

How do we know when God has called us? I have asked the religious brothers and sisters I know and I have in my life. Most of the religious brothers and sisters I have talked to say that they hear and have seen their call over the time of their life. They receive this calling by the people and things God has put in their life. But not all of them had seen this process take place over their life time here on Earth. Some of the brothers and sisters I have talked to say they felt God’s calling suddenly. They either felt this calling when they were in a great deal of pain or even a joyful event in their life.

How do we know if our calling is to be a religious brother or sister, a married person, or to live a life of a single person? We may always question if we made the right decision, if that was what God really had planned for us. But if God calls you to live a single life we shall not search for a partner. If God’s plan is for us to be a religious brother or sister we shall not disobey him. If God’s calling is for us to be a married person and to have a wonderful family we should try to be true to our commitment.

No matter what the commitment is that God has called you to do, remember to stay honest and true to that commitment because only God knows what is best for you. He would never lead you in the wrong path.

Samantha A.

7th Grade