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In the history of our Church, the development of human vocation is evident. God called
His disciples each of different generations. Some are kings, shepherds, famers, hermits and
fishermen. Each of them has different status in life. They may be all different but they have
one purpose upon which they are all called and that is to build up the kingdom of God here
on earth.
“Vocation is the personal human response to God’s general call to love and holiness”.
We are called by God to love and to serve. To love and to serve is the fundamental and innate
call of human being. It is a universal call yet our responses are diverse depending upon the
gifts that we received from God. Knowing the fact that we are all called, the question now is
on how do we respond to the call?
Technically, there are three kinds of responses to respond to the general call of God: the
religious life, marriage and the single blessedness. Also, in these three different responses,
there are many ways on how to respond to God’s call. It may be to serve using our
professions, abilities, capacities, our talents etc. In answering to the call of God is there a
standard that we need to follow in order to be called worthy to serve God? For me, there is no
standard upon which all of us have to follow.
Each of us has different ways on how to respond to the call of God. For example, in the
Old Testament, in Moses’ response to the call of God to save the people of Israel in Egypt.
He was doubtful at first whether he will listen and follow what God wanted him to do
because he feels uncapable and unworthy of saving His people from the wrath of the Pharaoh.
He even denied God’s call and said to refer someone who has the capacity to do what God
wanted him to do. Yet even if Moses feels unconfident about it, God still trusted him in
saving the people of Israel. In God’s mercy, Moses accepted the call and eventually saved the
Israelites from the slavery of the Egyptians. Even though Moses had many weaknesses and
feels unworthy to answer to the call of God, he continued to answer and follow God in His
call to build up the kingdom of Heaven.
Reflecting on my life as a seminarian, as I answer to the call of God to love and holiness
by becoming a priest someday, I too, like Moses, feels unworthy in following God. I feel
unworthy of His call because of my weaknesses and of the sins that I have done in life. I feel
unworthy because I feel like I do not have the capacity in becoming His priest someday. I
have great tendencies to commit sin. Yet even if I have these feelings in me why do I still
continue to answer His call? It is because I believe in the mercy and love of God. I believe
that in my journey to follow Him, he will always be on my side to guide me and to help me.
He will always be with me to purify my heart and my intentions in following Him to become
priest and to build up His kingdom here on earth.
In answering to the call of God, there is no standard upon which we have to meet in order
to become worthy. As of what Fr. Paul said in the movie “Maging Aking Muli”: There is no
perfect vocation, only a perfect intention. God calls us in spite of us being weak and sinful.
He calls us all, no exception. We all have our weaknesses in life. In following God,
weaknesses are not the determining factor in responding to his call. What is important is the
willingness to trust and surrender to the will of God. Our calling is not about us. It is about
our God who loves us despite of our sins.