God has a plan for our lives! He calls some to marriage, some to the priesthood, and others to religious life or to live as generous single people. Every vocation is about bringing souls to heaven. We often talk about “vocation” as “God’s call.” There is another way of phrasing this: Your vocation is the answer to the question,“Who is God calling me to bring to heaven?”
Those called to the vocation of marriage are to be “help mates” to each other on the path to heaven. They are also the primary educators of their children, especially in matters of our Faith.
Single people, too, says the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “live their situation in the spirit of the Beatitudes, serving God and neighbor in exemplary fashion” (CCC 1658).
Religious brothers and sisters seek to live the beatitudes in a radical way, devoting their whole lives to the pursuit of holiness. They help bring others to heaven by their prayer, service, and example.
It is relatively easy to see how priests help bring others to heaven. Priests bring souls into a state of grace through Baptism and Reconciliation. They preach and teach about virtue, holiness, and the truths of faith that illuminate the road to heaven. Most importantly, priests bring Jesus to others through the Eucharist—which the Church sees as an echo of the heavenly liturgy described in the first reading from Revelation.
Encourage the people in your life — friends, cousins, students, nieces, nephews, children, and grandchildren — to be open if God calls them to priesthood or religious life. Please ask Our Lord for more dedicated, holy priests, deacons and consecrated men and women. Here is a thought-provoking video highlighting the vocation of priesthood which includes young priests talking about their experience. It’s called Fishers of Men Catholic Priesthood and is about 18 minutes long.
We on earth are called to live as Jesus taught us, most especially by embracing the beatitudes, so that we can live with Him forever in heaven. Who will you bring with you to heaven? When you answer that question, you have found your vocation.
Additional online resources include: ~ www.WakeUptoGod.org ~ www.VocationMinistry.com ~ www.VocationMatch.com ~ www.gbvocations.org