What is a vocation?
According to the larousse dictionary, vocation is an inclination, a particular inclination for a certain kind of life, a type of activity. It is an act by which God calls every person for a determined role, which constitutes his end, this includes the call to the priesthood or religious life.
A Vocation is an inspiration, an interior motion by which God calls a well-determined person to a state or a form of life. So it is God who takes the initiative even though there may be human mediations. The one who is called must listen and be able to answer. So there is an interaction between the two. When God calls someone, he gives the person a mission to fulfill for Him, and sometimes even imposes conditions on the person. For instance, the call of Abraham and Moses in the bible,(Commission episcopale des vocations Rwanda 2003).
The vocation of Moses: Ex 3:1-12.
God calls Moses to go to the people of Israel to free them from oppression of
the Egyptians; Moses made excuses because he felt inadequate for the job God
asked him to do. It is true that by
himself he was inadequate. God often calls us to a task that seems too difficult but he doesn’t ask us to do it alone. He
offers us his support and other resources needed just as he did with Moses . We
see that it is God who calls a person and the person responds. His response
engages the person for life because vocation is an event that decisively and
forever transforms the existence of the person.
The vocation
of Jeremiah: Jer 1:4-10. God chose Jeremiah when
he was still in his mother’s womb so Jeremiah's mission was to find out what
God wanted to do with him each day. Maybe you too, God has already called you,
but you do not understand and do not know
where and what he is calling you to do. That is why for young people, each time
you read the scriptures you must ask yourselves, what does God want us to do
for him today?
God said to Jeremiah,"before forming you in your mother's womb I knew you, before you came out of the womb I consecrated you as a prophet of nations ..." Today, God addresses this same message to young people: long before your birth, he thought of you and has a plan with for you like for Jeremiah. Do not be discouraged even if life seems hard; remember that God thinks of you every day, he has a plan for you, and you are valued in his eyes. Like for Jeremiah, God promises that he will be with you and he will empower you to carry out His mission. We are all called for a particular mission. For Jeremiah, It was to be prophet of the nations. And you, what mission is Jesus Christ giving you today?
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