Did you know that the Holy Father gave a talk in which he delivered some inspiring insights into discovering one’s vocation?
These points, from a refreshing talk by Pope Francis, will give you valuable insights about your God-given vocation!
In this talk, given to seminarians and novices in Rome as part of events celebrating the Year of Faith, our Holy Father shared wisdom and practical advice on a variety of matters relating to one’s vocation, and religious life.
1. Culture of the Temporary
I heard a seminarian, a good seminarian, who said that he wanted to serve Christ for 10 years, and then he would think about starting a different life…. This is dangerous!
However, listen carefully: we are all, even the older people among us, we too, are under pressure from this “culture of the temporary”; and this is dangerous because one does not put one’s stakes on life once and for all. I marry as long as love lasts; I become a woman religious, but only for “a little while…”, “a short time” and then I shall see; I become a seminarian in order to become a priest, but I don’t know how the story will end.
This is not right with Jesus! I am not reproaching you, I reproach this culture of the temporary, which hits us all, since it does us no good: because it is very hard today to make a definitive decision.
In my day it was easier, because the culture encouraged definitive decisions, whether for married life, consecrated life or priestly life. However, in this day and age it is far from easy to make a decision once and for all. We are victims of this culture of the temporary.
2. Don’t Chase After Stuff
Some will say: joy is born from possessions, so they go in quest of the latest model of the smartphone, the fastest scooter, the showy car…. but I tell you, it truly grieves me to see a priest or a sister with the latest model of a car: but this can’t be! It can’t be.
You think: “so do we now have to go by bicycle, Father? Bicycles are good! Mons. Alfred rides a bicycle. He goes by bike. I think that cars are necessary because there is so much work to be done, and also in order to get about… but choose a more humble car! And if you like the beautiful one, only think of all the children who are dying of hunger.
3. Not Primarily Our Decision
Becoming a priest or a man or woman religious is not primarily our own decision. I do not trust that seminarian or that woman novice who says: “I have chosen this path”. I do not like this! It won’t do! Rather it is the response to a call and to a call of love.
I hear something within me which moves me and I answer “yes”. It is in prayer that the Lord makes us understand this love, but it is also through so many signs that we can read in our life, in the many people he sets on our path.
And the joy of the encounter with him and with his call does not lead to shutting oneself in but to opening oneself; it leads to service in the Church.
4. Don’t Hide Your Sins
However, it is in our life that others must first be able to read the Gospel! Here too, without fear, with our shortcomings which we try to correct, with our limitations which the Lord knows, but also with our generosity in letting him act through us. Faults, limitations and I add a little more with sins….
I would like to know something. Here, in this hall, is there anyone who is not a sinner, who has not sinned? Put up your hand! Put up your hands! No one? No one. From here to the back… everyone! Yet how do I carry my sin, my sins? I want to recommend this to you: be honest with your confessor. Always. Confess everything, do not be afraid. “Father, I have sinned!”
Think of the Samaritan woman who, to test him, in order to tell her fellow citizens that she had found the Messiah, said to him: “you have told me all that I have ever done”, and everyone knew about this woman’s life. Always tell your confessor the truth. This transparency will do us good, because it makes us humble, all of us. “But father, I have got stuck in this, I have done this, I have hated”… whatever it may be.
Tell the truth, without hiding anything, without mincing your words, because you are talking to Jesus in the person of the confessor. And Jesus knows the truth He alone always forgives you!
5. Don’t Lock Yourself Within
I would like to tell you: come out of yourselves to proclaim the Gospel, but to do this you must come out of yourselves to encounter Jesus. There are two ways out: one towards the encounter with Jesus, towards transcendence; the other towards others in order to proclaim Jesus.
These two go hand in hand. If you only take one of them, that is no good! I am thinking of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She was a fantastic sister…. She was not afraid of anything. She went about on the roads…. This woman was not even afraid of kneeling for two hours before the Lord.
Do not fear to step out of yourselves in prayer or in pastoral action. Be brave, in order to pray and in order to go and proclaim the Gospel. I would like a more missionary Church, one that is not so staid. This beautiful Church that makes progress.
Read the entire talk of Pope Francis on July 6, 2013 on the Vatican website.
View a four-minute YouTube news video of the Holy Father’s talk.
See Church documents and resources on vocation discernment on this website.
