Vocations

Today is the monthly Vocation day. One day each month all of the hours, and the mass, revolve around the theme of vocations. While the Abbey of Gethsemani is not hurting for vocations, they are for the most part an aging community. Since they don't advertise for men to join, they are utterly dependent upon the Holy Spirit. To be dependent implies a position of weakness, which, of course, recalls II Corinthians 12, where Jesus informs Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."

Vocations are the life blood of any religious order. You cannot have an order without people to join. People can no longer be compelled to join an order, so survival requires people with a vocation. Yet, vocation is a gift from God. So, we might ask, where did the Trappist vocation go? Why aren't more men and women joining the order? At the same time they must wonder why this upsurge in lay men and women aligning themselves with Lay Cistercian groups.

At one time it was the practice that the oldest child was understood to be a gift to the church. Oldest boys became priests, girls nuns, etc.. Yes, it kept the seminaries full, but it also created a lot of forced vocations. It helped the numbers, but didn't seem to pay much attention to the urgings of God.

Today is the day to pray for vocations. Today is to beg God to move hearts to "come and see." It is also a day for me to consider where in my spiritual journey does my vocation lie. My soul knows for certain, but I'm not trusting enough, I refuse to accept my weakness. Everything in my life so far points to weakness, yet I won't accept it.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."

Pray for me, brothers and sister
Pray for me, Holy Mother of God
Pray for me, St. Bernard