In the Gospel this Sunday, Jesus calls his first disciples to follow him. Here is a model of his call to each of us. But what is a vocation and how can we discern what God is calling us to do and what path to follow? Here are extracts from Pope Francis' Christ is Alive where he talks directly to the young and not so young!
‘The word “vocation” can be understood in a broad sense as a calling from God, including the call to life, the call to friendship with him, the call to holiness, and so forth. This is helpful, since it situates our whole life in relation to the God who loves us. It makes us realize that nothing is the result of pure chance but that everything in our lives can become a way of responding to the Lord, who has a wonderful plan for us…..To respond to our vocation, we need to foster and develop all that we are. This has nothing to do with inventing ourselves or creating ourselves out of nothing. It has to do with finding our true selves in the light of God and letting our lives flourish and bear fruit. “In God’s plan, every man and woman is meant to seek self-fulfilment, for every human life is called to some task by God”.[140] Your vocation inspires you to bring out the best in yourself for the glory of God and the good of others’ (Pope Francis, Christ is Alive, 248, 257).