Learn
to Discern for Women
Vocation through
Reason
HOW
DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE CALLED TO CONSECRATED LIFE?
Do you recognize any of these characteristics in yourself?
- Your
relationship with God gives you strength and direction.
- You
love your Catholic Faith and are faithful to the Eucharist.
- You enjoy working with people.
- You are often found going
out of your way for others in some kind of service.
- You
are physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy.
- Other
people have suggested to you that you may be called to
live as a sister in Consecrated Life.
- You don't feel worthy
of the call; you are somewhat afraid but at the same time
excited about the possibility.
- You are able to diligently
apply yourself to your studies or your job at the present
time. People
can count on you to come through for them.
Discernment takes a lot of introspection
and prayer. Even if you never become a priest or religious,
often the discernment process helps you to know yourself
better. Looking into
your heart and asking yourself
these questions is a big step toward
becoming a better Christian!
- Have
I experienced God's love in my life?
- Do I actively practice
my Catholic faith and participate in my parish?
- Does the Gospel message excite & challenge
me?
- Am I searching for a way to share
my gifts with others?
- Do I desire a deeper relationship
with Jesus Christ?
- Am I willing to offer my life for the
mission of Jesus Christ and his Church?
- Do I like working
with people and do I get along with men and women from
all walks of life?
- Do I want to make a positive difference
in the lives of others?
Characteristics
of a good candidate for consecrated life.
- Discover a deep love for the Lord Jesus, and
desire others to know and love Him too.
- Desire to
improve the world, making a difference through
the selfless giving of your life.
- Hear in your heart
that the Lord is calling you and have other people
mature in their faith validating
this call.
- Others have suggested to you that you
should consider being a Consecrated woman.
- Be a
practicing Catholic: Go to Mass on Sundays, and
Holy Days, love Mary, the Church and follow
the Pope’s teachings.
- Live and desire a life
of prayer. Strengthen your relationship with Jesus
by attending daily Mass,
visiting the Blessed Sacrament, frequently receiving
the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Pray the Rosary,
read the Bible and make time for personal prayer
and spiritual readings.
- Aspire to a life of holiness,
responding fully to the call of being a true disciple
of Christ,
seeking to be a better person striving against
sin.
- Accept your own limitations, recognizing yourself
as an instrument of the Lord.
- Be a “people
person”concerned and involved
in the joys and sorrows of the lives of others.
- Enjoy
life, set aside time for leisure and have a good
sense of humor.
- Discover a call for service; be
unselfish and generous with your time, talent and
treasure.
- Be interested in learning the faith at
a college or masters level in order to better communicate
it.
- Be physically, emotionally, and psychologically
stable.
- Desire to answer the call of consecrating
yourself to the Lord seeking a greater union with
Jesus
and offer your life to evangelize.
- Have a "Marian
heart" full of kindness
and compassion for others.
- Possess self-discipline
and have a community spirit and ability to share
your life with others.
- Display stability in lifestyle;
i.e., be consistent in your commitments and pursue
tasks until the
end.
- Have a healthy psycho-sexual orientation.
- As
a witness of the Lord, remember that the exterior
reflects the interior; i.e., exercise frequently,
keep healthy, maintain hygiene and have good manners.
- Most important of all: Be open to God’s Plan
for your Life.
A Three-Fold Consideration
St. Ignatius himself suggests a means to avoid being deceived
by passion or one's own inclinations. It is the following
three-fold consideration:
-
Imagine that a young person in precisely
the same position as yourself came to you, to seek your
guidance before choosing a particular calling. Having studied
the matter, you would certainly say to that person: "Everything
is quite clear. Because of such and such reason, you must
choose such and such a vocation." This being the case,
do the same yourself, as you would advise a stranger to
do under similar circumstances. To do otherwise would be
unreasonable.
-
Having decided upon your vocation,
ask yourself, "How
would I feel about this on my deathbed? Should I be
pleased, or should I suffer remorse of conscience?" If
I see that the latter would be the case, there is something
wrong
somewhere. Review your reasons once again.
-
Finally,
picture yourself at your own judgment. Will all the
work that you have been doing just now
in coming
to your decision, show forth as that of a conscientious
person? Or, will you realize on the contrary that
you have been trying to cheat yourself by marshalling up
silly reasons,
dictated by human nature and passion? If such should
really be the case, start over again, and this
time,
go about
it more earnestly.
FINAL POINTS
Finally, a few important points must be insisted upon. Before
starting to write anything, pray earnestly to the Holy
Spirit for enlightenment, beg for the grace to know God's
will and the strength to do whatever the Almighty desires
of you.
Recall Jesus' words: "What does it
profit a man to gain the whole world and suffer the loss
of his
own soul?" Since
you must always keep eternity in mind, ask yourself these
two questions:
Where must I go to save it more surely?
Where
shall I do better work for the greater honor and glory
of God?
Is not this, however, asking a little too
much? No. It is only reasonable that you should employ the
very
best means
to save your soul and to assist others to do the
same. Ask yourself frankly then, "In which vocation
would I most securely work out my salvation?" Will
it be in the world as a layperson, in the holy married
life, or in the consecrated
life? Go about your work seriously then, in the presence
of God. Weigh all your reasons carefully and then
decide.
The next thing to do is humbly to submit
everything-reasons
and conclusions-to your spiritual director, make
haste to offer our Lord the choice you have just
made, begging
Him
to receive and confirm it, if it be in conformity
with His greater service and glory.
If you are really
convinced, and feel within yourself while praying, that
your offering is pleasing to
Almighty God,
resolve immediately to remain faithful to it,
and to carry out your decision at the earliest possible
moment.
Embrace
this special grace after learning to discern!
For More Information, Contact Father Lynch, Diocesan Director of Vocations. Father Joseph Marcello and Father Leonel Medeiros are Assistant Vocation Directors.
(203) 322-5331
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