Villa La Paz Newsletter March 2020
Vocation: a) a call, summons or impulsion to perform a certain function or enter a certain career, esp. a religious one b) the function or career toward which one believes himself to be called
Webster’s New World Dictionary Third College Edition
Mission: the special task or purpose for which a person is apparently destined in life, a call
Each of us has a mission in life. Jesus prays to His Father for His followers saying, “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18) We seldom realize fully that we are sent to fulfill God-given tasks. We act as if we have to choose how, where, and with whom to live. We act as if we were simply plopped down in creation and have to decide how to entertain ourselves until we die. But we were sent into the world by God, just as Jesus was. Once we start living our lives with that conviction, we will soon know what we were sent to do.
The more I think about the human suffering in our world and my desire to offer a healing response, the more I realize how crucial it is not to allow myself to become paralyzed by feelings of impotence and guilt. More important than ever is to be very faithful to my vocation, to do well the few things I am called to do and hold on to the joy and peace they bring me. I must resist the temptation to let the forces of darkness pull me into despair and make me one more of their many victims. I have to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus and on those who followed Him and trust that I will know how to live out my mission to be a sign of hope in this world.
Henri J. M. Nouwen
Each one of us has some kind of vocation. We are called by God to share in His life and in His kingdom. Each one of us is called to a special place in the kingdom. If we find that place we will be happy. If we do not find it we can never be completely happy. For each one of us there is only one thing necessary: to fulfill our own destiny, according to God’s will, to be what God wants us to be.
Thomas Merton
The young boy and God continued walking along the seashore, the young boy thinking about God’s explanation as to why He became man and the purpose of the Incarnation. After a while the young boy said, “I have other questions I would like to ask you.” “Of course,” God said, “Ask.” “What is the real purpose of life?” the young boy asked. “I see many happy people but I also see many unhappy people, even in my own family. Should not everyone be happy?” “Yes,” God said, “everyone should be happy and can be happy.” “Then why is there unhappiness in the world?” the young boy asked. God answered, “To everyone I give a mission in life, a vocation to be followed, but I also give man a free will. The purpose of my gift of free will is to let man choose to love me or reject me. I will never force man to love me but will always patiently wait for his love and will even pursue it. If a person uses his free will to reject the mission or vocation that I have asked him to do he also rejects me. In rejecting me and his mission he will remain unfulfilled, empty and unhappy.” “But how does one know what his mission and vocation is?” asked the young boy. “To everyone I give another gift, a conscience, a still, small voice to help one through life. That small voice will guide the person to his mission and vocation.” “And how will a person know that he has found his mission and vocation?” the young boy asked. “He will be at peace with himself,” God answered. “Mind you,” God continued, “ missions and vocations do entail some sacrifice and the person might not always be content but he will experience an inner peace which will bring the contentment needed to help him through the difficult periods.” “Wow,” said the young boy, “I will also have a mission and vocation in life?” “Indeed you will,” God answered, “and whoever accepts the mission I entrust to him will receive from me the means to fulfill it in the form of talents, gifts, faith, and hope.”
We all have a general vocation and mission and that is to love unconditionally whoever and whatever God puts in our way but within that general vocation are special vocations. Most choose the married life, dedicating themselves to another, and become cocreators with God in the begetting and raising of children. Some choose the consecrated life to devote themselves totally to the service of God. A small portion chooses the single life in order to totally dedicate themselves to whatever profession they have embraced. Peace and happiness can only be achieved by accepting the general vocation of loving and, by using the talents and gifts given to us, dedicating ourselves to the specific vocation and mission that God has asked us to undertake.
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, “I used everything you gave me.”
Erma Bombeck
Our children’s vocation? To teach us to love unconditionally, to accept personal suffering while trying to alleviate the suffering of others, to give us courage to face the vagaries of life and surmount them, to hope for a better future despite their present condition, to be joyful despite physical and mental handicaps. We thank you for helping us care for our children. We love you and wish you God’s peace.