Vocation

“VOCATION”

Christ’s Call &

Your Mision in the Church

MAIN POINTS:1) What is Vocation?2) How to discover the vocation, God is

preparing for you?3) Love and Serve God.

Every baptized Christian is called to follow Jesus,

to live as He lived, and to be dedicated to a life of self-giving and surrender to God’s will.

The Christian vocation is a way of life that brings great joy & personal fulfillment in spite that sometimes involves hardship and

difficulties (the Way of the Cross).

VOCATION A VOCATION: is a mision in this live, that God is

calling, and preparing you to do.

It is a Calling! to love him and serve him. So even at this very moment, God is already putting

everything in place, so you are ready to say YES! To your vocation.

Everyone has a vocation. God calls and invites all to his Saving Plan. Whatever God is calling you to be, your vocation is a small

part of the vocation of the Church.

What is the Vocation of the Church?: “To make people Holy”

If the Vocation of the Church is to make people holy,

then, your vocation is to help make everyone holy, beginning with yourself.

GOD CALLS TO VOCATION IN DIFFERENT WAYS

Lets’ take a closer look to St. Paul, and St. Matthew; the way God called them, can tells us a lot from our Vocation.

According to the Acts of Apostles, St. Paul started the persecuting the Christians.Paul did not only run into the Apostles for preaching in Christ name, but he would do any thing to stop them.

But God has a bigger plan por Paul: God knew that all that seal of Paul, could go into building up the Body of Christ: “The Church”.

So one day, Paul was in his day to Damascus to persecute the followers of Christ, when suddenly he was knock down by a blinding light and heard a voice: Saul, Saul, Why do you persecute me? …I am Jesus the one you are

persecuting (Acts 9) Then St. Paul converted and became a Apostle to the

Gentiles, bringing the Christian faith throughout the Unknown world

WOW!! What a such vocation call!!!

GOD CALLS IN DIFFERENT WAYS

But not all the apostles were knock out of their horses as St. Paul was.

In fact, for many of the apostles and all who follow Jesus, their call come in, in the very ordinary surroundings of their daily life.

Let’s look ST. Matthew, he was a tax collector, and tax collectors were not very like.

He was sitting by the side of the road, when Jesus walked by and asked him to follow him;

Matthew was probably figuring out someone tax, but Jesus came to Matthew with the invitation, and Matthew got up and followed him.

GOD CALLS AND INVITES YOU TO ANSWER YOUR VOCATION

God works in all kinds of ways to invite you to follow him, in just the way, he has prepare for you.

God’s call can take diverse forms. there are many different ways to live the Gospel, and to be faithful to Christ in our daily lives.

Sometimes he calls in extraordinary ways like St. Paul,

but most of the time, he calls us in probably very ordinary ways in our life, like St. Matthew

GOD LOVES A VARIETY OF VOCATIONS

God loves variety, and this just show us how wonderful and generous He is

VARIETY reflects not only in how God calls you to your vocation,

but that there’s also, a variety of vocations on the Church.

There are many vocations: There are some people who are call to live in the

world and to grow in Holiness in their ordinary activities or

their jobs, families, schools, communities, etc.

PRIEST VOCATION

AND RELIGIOUS ORDERS

CALL TO BE A PRIEST

There are those who received the “Calling” from God to be Priest

Priest are call to serve the Church in a very special way By bringing all God’s people to Sacraments, and to

help us to become Holy.

VARIETY OF VOCATIONS

There are also others who are call to be “Consecrated to God”, and belong completely to Him, and help to build up his Kingdom right here on earth.

Although these vocations are different from Priest, they have at least One Calling that is the same: IT IS “THE GIFT OF SELF”

They are: Nuns, Sisters, and Friars, Monks, Brothers. They are call to give themselves unselfish and completely to God.

“REVEAL THE LOVE OF GOD IN THE WORLD”

God gives those who are Consecrated to him a MISION: “reveal the love of God in the world”

Often they do this by serving the poor or by teaching

Some are given the mision of Prayers. their prayers are constantly offer to God, in behalf of

the whole church.

There are many religious families in the Church: The Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites, Jesuits, Missionaries of Charities, etc.

CONSECRATED: SET APART FOR GOD

The HABITS of the sister or friars tell everyone, around them, that they are set apart for God.1) That they are Consecrated to God.2) That they are giving themselves to Him as a Gift.3) Habits also tell something else: they preach of Jesus, without ever saying a

word.4) The habit remains us that Jesus loves us, and He is present in the world

If we see some sisters or friars on the street, airport, church, etc, we know, by their habits that:a) they love Jesus.b) That they have given everything, they have and are to him,

{to do with it whatever He wants.}

RELIGIOUS LIVES

The vocation of Religious Lives implies an undivided heart: “Giving Completely to God”

Those who are call to live a religious life, receive a special calling from God: “to belong completely to him by taking 3 vows:”

1. Chastity (they can not get married)2. Poverty3. Obedience

Everything God has created is good: It is good to own some things It is wonderful both to get marry, and have children And it is exiting to go wherever you want to, and

choose what you want to do.

A GREATER GOOD Those who are call to religious life, know how good all these things

are,

but they also know, there is another greater good: And that greater good is GOD HIMSELF.

God who create everything that is good in our lives, calls some people to be witness of his goodness, by completely giving their lives to Him.

VOCATION OF MARRIAGE

“MARRIAGE”

There are some of you who are call to be Priest.

And some of you are called to stay in the world, and to be married: to become a Dad or Mom.

But those who married too, will need to give completely and unselfish to their family

This unselfish general “Gift of Self” will make them Holy and Happy.

“MARRIAGE”

Marriage is a vocation and a part of God’s Plan: it is a call from God to Love and Serve Him.

The wife responsibility is to show her husband and kids, how much God loves them, throughout her.

The husband responsibility is to show his wife and children, how much God loves them, through Him.

And Both Husband and Wife should share the Gospel to their Children, by words and actions.

Both should teach their children to share in God’s love with their grandparents.

VOCATION OF A SINGLE LIFE

“SINGLE LIFE VOCATION” All are called to live their life joined to

Christ in Baptism. 

For many, single life becomes the best way to fulfill their vocation whether being “single” is a choice, or a circumstance.

Accepting the vocation of the “SINGLE LIFE” means choosing to serve God as a member of the laity. 

Single persons serve the Christian family through acts of love and service, in a variety of lay ministries. 

Living a SINGLE LIFE invites individuals to make a difference in their community, and world as Jesus did. 

“SINGLE LIFE”

The dedicated SINGLE LIFE is a real vocation.

It is a calling to be an authentic follower of Jesus Christ in the particular circumstances of daily life.

It is a commitment to be open to God’s will, to serve freely and generously even when there is no obligation or requirement to do so.

Dedicated Single Persons encounter their difficulties confident that they are not alone or powerless, but are fully supported by Christ and His Church. they experience communion with Christ through the sacraments, in their prayer and in

fellowship with parishioners and co-workers in various Church ministries,

Generous Single Men And Women see themselves as privileged members of the one family of God.

BEING SINGLE In our secular culture, being single often means being uncommitted:

with no obligations or responsibilities to anyone except yourself.

This is the way of life pursued by the young man in Jesus’ parable of “The Prodigal Son.”(Luke 15:11-32)

It’s a selfish way of living that always ends badly: with bitter and lonely regret.

Why? Because a life lived only for freedom, or pleasure, or selfish gain is

unsatisfying.

SINGLE LIFE AND FREEDOM

The call to vocation involves free choice and an open heart.

Contrary to what we hear repeatedly in the news and entertainment media: Freedom is not license to (doing whatever we want) or the absence of any obligations or responsibilities

Freedom is the gift that God gives us that allows us to choose1) how we will live, 2) how we will commit ourselves to others 3) and how we will serve the needs of God’s family.

To be truly free, we must exercise God’s gift of freedom responsibly, generously and gratefully.

Generous Single Persons are good stewards because they care deeply, and respond generously,

SINGLE MEN AND WOMEN Single persons who have given themselves

wholeheartedly to Christ are not like the young man in the parable of the prodigal son.

On the contrary, they are fully committed individuals. They bind themselves to the service of others,

they participate in the Church’s mission and share themselves, with those who walk with them.

Generous Single Persons respond to the distinctive calling:

1) They discern God’s will for themselves through prayer, spiritual reading and retreats.

2) They commit to their families, parents, siblings and extended family members.

3) They partner with friends, co-workers, fellow parishioners, neighbors and all whom they encounter in seeking to make our world a better place

GOD CALLS AND INVITES YOU TO ANSWER YOUR VOCATION

TO LOVE AND SERVE HIM

In which vocation God, is calling to you to love and serve him?

Remember a VOCATION is a way, God is calling you to love him and Serve Him, and will make you happy & joyful

When God calls you, he is waiting for your response. He is always talking to us about the Plan he has for us .

How you prepare to respond to God’s call?a) Open your heart and prayb) Talk to him and then listen.c) Talking to God takes quiet listening {very often God talks in the

silent}d) Know him by reading the Scriptures {especially the New

Testament}

Another source and help on listening for God’s will in your life is:

listening the Church: remember the Church is in the business of making people holy.

God is working in, and through the Church. The Sacraments are a source of life, and will give you strength, to

hear and respond to your vocation. have time to prepare your heart, to listen God’s call and respond

RESPONDING TO GOD’S CALL

There is only one thing to say to God’s call: a whole hearted YES!

There are many examples of those who have respond to God’s call in their lives.

1) The best example is the Blessed Virgin Mary; she said yes to God and became mother of His Son.

2) Probably your Parents say Yes to God in their Calling to marriage.3) Your Parish’s priest, said yes to God and now he celebrates the

Sacraments.4) The Sisters in the Parish School, said Yes to God and now they

serve and teach

You too, need say Yes to God, in the Vocation God is calling you to.

Say Yes to God and His plan. His plan is always better than yours.

RESPONDING TO GOD’S CALL Once we have said YES to God’s invitation to follow, there

are many paths, that we can follow:

1. Many are called to be married and to have families.

2. Others are called to the consecrated life as sisters, brothers or priests — or to the ordained ministry as deacons, priests or bishops.

3. Some men and women are called to remain single, and to live out their Christian lives with extraordinary generosity and commitment to Christ and to His Body, the Church.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR VOCATION IS?

Listen deeply to what God is saying to you.

He is calling you to be holy, and to live fully, and joyfully! in Christ.

The path you are called to take, may be unique to you, but if you give yourself wholeheartedly to Him, you will never have to

journey alone.

QUESTIONS?