Vocation

By Daniel Turner

           A vocation is a call to do a job which is fulfilling to the worker. A Catholic religious vocation goes far beyond the meaning of just a call to fulfill the worker. It is a way of life which some people see as dull or worthless, but the people that take on a Catholic religious vocation such as priests, nuns, brothers, and deacons have taken on a much deeper meaning to life and know their way to true happiness. They are not all caught up in what new technology is coming out or who has the best car. They know that when they get to Heaven all of this is not going to matter. God is not going to judge us on who had the best looking car. He is going to judge on how well we carried out our mission of spreading the gospel.

            For the sake of the essay, the interviewee will go by the name of Sister Mary. Sister is a very lively and down to earth person. From the first second I walked into her class, I knew that the class would be fun and interesting. The way I see her now is the way that she saw a sister in second grade. The sister whom she saw in second grade was very lively and loved to play with the kids. This sister showed her that sisters are very normal and real people not robots who pray all the time. Their lives may be devoted to God, but also they are devoted to bringing other people closer to God.

            Sister Mary’s numerous entertaining stories of her teenage life connect to us students and the way we are feeling at this time in our life. These stories are meant to give us a feeling that anything is possible. Sister’s intentions are to make us become the best version of ourselves. The day sister received her call from God, she knew immediately that all her dreams could come true. She has several which may seem impossible, but she knows with Christ anything is possible. One of her goals is to learn 11 different languages. She remembers looking at an older nun and thinking “God will love me even as I age”. Taking on a religious vocation can be complicated to understand, but God is always by our side and will never abandon us. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, a rich man’s son would like all of his inheritance and goes off to the city to spend it all. The son returns home thinking his father has disowned him, but his father is waiting with his arms open to greet his son. The father is like God and God will never disown us. He will be waiting and guiding us through our journey towards ultimate happiness.

            Just as God will support us from above, our family will support us while we are on earth. Sister Mary’s family was very supportive and proud of what she chose to do with her life. Her father was very proud of what his daughter decided, and her mother cried because sister was the first of her children to leave home. Her sisters immediately raided her closet in search of the clothes they wanted. As her father became ill with cancer, her father wanted her there not only because she was his daughter, but even more because she was a sister. Sister Mary said this was something really special. Religious vocations are often great symbols of the sign of Christ. Seeing someone dressed in religious clothing to some may seem pointless, but to others it is a sign of Christ on earth present among us.

            With everything in life, there are good things and there are bad things. Taking on a religious teaching vocation has many benefits. Sister Mary told me that she loves being with her students, because they always bring joy to her. She said that she learns many things; one example is love. She learns to accept everyone even though they may be different from her. She said living in a house with all sisters provides a sense of unity, because they are all there seeking one common goal. They all share different tasks in maintaining the house just like we all have specific tasks in maintaining Christ on earth. She said that sometimes she walks down the streets, and people curse at her. She does not let it affect her, because she knows who she is representing. She said that she does not like the comments but can live through them. She told me that putting her religion over her family can be hard when times get tough. You cannot always feel God’s embrace which can lead us to be lonely. The love the family provides us is given by God, but it is harder to feel mentally while God’s love is harder to feel physically. She gets attached to the students and then has to move to another assignment. She said that it can be hard to leave the students. Even with that hardship, she told me “it is better to have loved and lost, then to not have loved at all.” It is said all the time that God puts people in our lives to show us things. Sometimes we may have to move, but there will always more people. The people that made an impact will always stay with us in memory. Religious vocations require a lot of sacrifice but with sacrifice comes reward.

            As someone gets deeper into their vocation, they begin to find a deeper meaning in life. There is a sense that God will always protect us. As a result, we reach inner peace and happiness. There is a sense of community within the Church. Everyone comes together for one purpose during Mass which is to praise God. We are able to know that each person within the Church relies on one another to praise God. Sister gave me an example which is when one sister has a sore throat, the one next to her prays extra loud to count for the other also. This shows that they are always there for one another as God is always there for us when we need it.

            Religious vocations mean a deepening in faith and in God. The goal in life is to reach happiness, and sometimes people need assistance reaching that. Sister Mary told me that she always wants people to be happy and to reach their goal of happiness. She began to have faith in every child, knowing each one was special in his or her own way. She began to develop a more motherly instinct when she became a sister. She treats each student as if they are one of her own children. She watches out for everyone and makes sure they all reach their full potential. Being part of a vocation means we must reach the potential God has given us. We must spread God’s grace out among other people so that they will learn to find His grace also.

            As a lay person, I see Sister Mary as someone who enjoys life and loves God. I can clearly see the unity between her and the Father. She has taught me several different things, and each one is very essential to carrying out my life. We all have heard the negative stories about nuns, and we have believed them. I am not going to lie, so did I. Once I met Sister Mary, I knew none of that was true. The happiness that comes out of her and pours out to her students shows that she along with all other people who have accepted religious vocations are regular people like us trying to get to Heaven. I know now that the calling is to represent Christ in a special way, and only a few people will be able to answer. If you answer, then you are someone very special and highly respected by millions. If you do not answer, then treat the ones who did with the respect they deserve.

            The real purpose of Catholic religious vocations is to lead other people to true happiness. God will provide someone who will accept the vocation with happiness, and it will be their job to take God’s happiness along with the Gospel and spread it throughout the world. The Catholic religious vocation is a deep and true calling. The calling will be there for life just as God will love us for eternity, without beginning and without end.