Celebrating National Vocations Awareness Week (Nov. 3-9)
This week, we’re called to spotlight the beauty and power of the Priesthood, Religious Life, and Consecrated Life. As a Vocations Director, I believe God is asking each of us to support these vocations that play a vital role in the life of the Church. Without priests, religious, and consecrated individuals, our sacraments—and the spiritual nourishment they provide—would be deeply impacted.
God is calling men and women from our own families, but He needs us to help make that call real. When we speak God’s word or extend His invitation, we’re planting seeds in the hearts of those He’s calling. Just like in creation, every time God speaks, something begins. And when He calls—whether through your voice or mine—a new path unfolds.
Today, I want to share the story of Ruben Chavarria, a seminarian in his third year of formation. I hope his journey will inspire you, too, to listen to and follow your own call from God.
Vocation Story
Evangelization is one aspect of my life that defines who I am. Often what seems as a central aspect of the life of a disciple of Jesus. Can be turned into reticent and a lack lustering part of followers of Jesus. Growing up, my life seemed like a regular upbringing like anyone else. Unsure of the decisions I was going to make in life and pursing a vain career, the Lord slowing moved my heart and the direction of my life to a possibility that before would've been fatuous. But now seems to be the reality that God called me for. Ambivalent at first, I was hesitant in what exactly the Lord called me for. Later through prayer in front of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament I fell into a despairing love for the Lord, as I knew him more, I knew myself and what God called me for. At hindsight, the numerous hours in front of the Blessed Sacrament was God molding me in preparation in sharing the good news. I grew into a deep love for the Scriptures and held it as my own. Not a moment of my day went without carrying my Bible. I gained a vast amount of knowledge in such little of time. As my questions grew, the pool of answers seemed endless. Not discarding the commands Paul gave to Timothy to “be an example in speech in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (2 Tim 4:12). Taking each day, as I could, I pressed on toward the upward call of God (Phil 3:14), growing in knowledge of the scriptures through memorization of bible verses and constant recitation.
This love of the scriptures will later accompany me as the Lord enticed me to the ministry of evangelization. From evangelizing on Halloween nights to preaching at nearby piers, the Lord enlightened a zeal in my heart to make people aware of the fullness of the truth found in the Catholic Church. Strengthened with courage and love for the Lord, I came to realize the grand necessity of going out and reaching out to the lost sheep (Jn 10:16). From each individual I would encounter I learned something in return, through intellectually engaging in conversations, accompanying them in their stress and doubts, or just being a listener. The Lord throughout my life has been teaching me, as I pondered and internally quarreled about how we can be lackluster on some of the basic callings of being a disciple of Jesus. I thought to myself if other Christian denominations are able to read and memorize their bibles. Why not us? If they are so bold, so as to preach the gospel, why not us? If they believe to have possessed the fullness of the truth? With more reason, we should be out in the streets and seeking to make disciples for the Lord Jesus. The simplicity is what I strive for, but precisely because it's simple is why it's difficult, and because it's difficult few are willing to do it.
Comments