“In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I
have conquered the world,” Jesus says to us in today’s Gospel, John 16:
29-33.
You might have encountered
problems in your quest for God’s will in your life. “Is God calling me to
marriage? But I cannot find the right partner,” you might be thinking. “I feel called to the single lifestyle, but people
will think I am a failure.” Or, you might be saying to yourself, “I feel called
to religious life or to become a priest, but what will others think? My parents
will discourage me and my grandparents will have a fit,” some of you might be
thinking. Or, you might respond to the call to consecrate your life to the Lord
as a religious or as a diocesan priest with: “But I am not “holy” enough. I’m
not even a virgin.” Or “I’m gay/lesbian;
I can’t be called to religious life or to the priesthood.” Think again. God calls all persons. The call
to priesthood or religious life or to marriage or to the single life is not
about holiness, not about self. It is about God’s plan for you, God’s
faithfulness and yours to the call to enter a process that leads to holiness
and wholeness for those who are called to that specific vocation in life.
How will you respond? What excuses do you make? What “troubles”
to you encounter? Remember Jesus’ words: “In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.” Go to Jesus and share your
troubles with Him. You might do this in writing. Then listen for His response and, possibly, record that in your journal as well. Keep talking to Jesus about these "troubles" until these excuses are dissipated and you find courage to move forward embracing the call
that is right for you.
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