reflection assignment

Vocation: “We Can Be Called”

We can be called by God, the world, another person, or our own spirit. While beliefs vary, people often report a sense of being summoned or invited to engage life in a particular way by another or by their deepest self. It is sometimes spoken of as something that is “heard” or “known” in the depths of one’s heart. It is not an “idea” as much as an intuition, a gut response.

We can be called for a purpose. At times, the needs of the world or those around can capture our imaginations and we find ourselves thinking about how our engagement can make a difference.

We can be called through the example of others. The integrity of another’s life, the passion with which they engage their work or the joy that is manifest in their manner of living can inspire us to model our lives on theirs.

We can be called with others to share a way of life or commitment to a greater purpose. Some feel called to share their lives completely with another in marriage, to be part of a community of like-minded people or to give oneself over to a noble cause.

We can be called in any set of circumstances to examine the meaning, purpose, and direction of our lives. Life has a way of beckoning to us, if we are attentive. The challenge we feel in exploring something new might indicate the value of exploring that path.

We can be called to wholeness. Many people experience a longing for integrity, a desire to be authentic. For some, this may be experienced as a call to a life of virtue, embodying the best of what it means to be human. For others, this may be experienced as a call to find healing in those areas of our lives that are broken.

We can be called away from patterns of living or situations that are not life-giving for us and for the people with whom we live, work, and interact. At times, we may engage in behaviors that deplete our spirits or make us feel as if we are not being true to ourselves. Career paths chosen with the best of intentions may become dead ends not because we are not “successful,” but because we are not “ourselves.”

We can be called within a call. At times, as we live out the fundamental call of our lives, we can be called within that call. It may be to a summons to give ourselves over more fully to the person, community or work that we have chosen. It may be a call to explore new pathways or areas of interest within the work that we have chosen. In these instances the fundamental call remains while it takes on added or deeper dimensions.