Answering the Call

    November 5-6, 2016          
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
 
            We are all called to be saints; that is how we get to heaven.  As I saw on a T-Shirt once, “Get Holy or Die Trying.”  This is the reality of the Universal Call to Holiness that was expounded upon in the Second Vatican Council. [1]  This past week we celebrated All Saints Day and this week we celebrate and pray for vocations: to Christian Marriage, to the Priesthood, to Consecrated Life that is communal and individual consecration (consecrated virgins are an example).  As we look at these two things, and stemming from my reflection last weekend, we need to remember that the Saints are the heroes of humanity because they sought to imitate Christ, to have their lost image restored in and through Him who is the perfect human being.  That’s right; Christ came to show us what it means to be truly, fully human! (True Christian Humanism)  So, if something is lacking in your life, look to Christ!  The Saints are declared Saints because they have fulfilled their vocation: to be holy as the heavenly Father is holy.  They have strived through trials and tribulations, they have persevered through hard times, they have experienced great joy and sorrow, and they have seen great successes in their lives. They have taken up their cross and followed Christ.  In doing so, they give us an example to follow and to show us that it is possible to follow the call that God has for each one of us: our vocation.
            Our vocation is what God is calling us to do with our lives so that we can live according to His loving plan for our lives.  Whether we are called to spiritual or biological motherhood/fatherhood, we are all called to grow in holiness.  Couples do this in marriage by helping each other and their children to live according to God’s will.  Priests seek this through prayer in their lives of service and seek it for their flocks.  Religious do this together in a communal life and Consecrated virgins through their desire to live entirely for God doing the work assigned to them.  For those who are unsure, pray.  The single life is for those who are still discerning or are too young to decide, at some point I believe we are called to make a commitment (even if private vows are made.)  This requires us to be open and docile to the Holy Spirit, who leads us along the paths of life.
            In our own day and age we need to pray for stronger Christian marriages and families from which spring vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.  We also need to consider whether we have encouraged our own children to discern.  Although my parents never said that I had to think about the priesthood directly, I knew that they supported it and would support me if I ever told them I was thinking about it. What about you?  Are you called? We will not know the answer unless we ask. DO NOT BE AFRAID!  You will find in the answer the fulfillment of the deepest questions of your heart: Who am I? God, what did you create me to do in this world?  How can I make the world a better place so that Your Kingdom may come?  This is our mission and our task: to go forth and make disciples, baptizing them and claiming them for Christ. Let us take the example of the Saints and ask God how we can grow in holiness in this life so that we may be happy and joyous with Him in the next!
 
Ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus – That in all things God may be glorified,
 
Fr. Isaac Haywiser, O.S.B., Administrator