“He
Said to Them, ‘Come, and You Will See.’” (Jn 1:39)
How can we experience Jesus now? How can we respond to His
invitation, “Come and see.”
“What
are you looking for?”
The two disciples were too excited to answer that
question. They were walking with the messiah. Instead they asked, “Rabbi, where
do you stay?” Jesus did not give them his address. Instead he invited them,
“Come and see.” And they stayed with him that day. That changed the
course of their life.
"Come and see" is an
invitation to the disciples of all ages to follow Jesus to experience their way
of life. It is an invitation that, following the example of our Lord Jesus, we are putting to you.
It is a time of stage in which you are called to live close to us, learn about us and so make a choice of life according to the spirit of the Sons of Divine Providence. It is a free,
conscious and responsible stage, where everyone discovers his own vocation
in the Church and in the world.
When a young person feels that he is loved
by God and strives to live in Him, he is called to give a response to this love
which is freely given.
In the succession of events between God's
call and man's response one's own happiness is fully realised: living one's own
place in society and in the Church in a responsible and Christian manner, along
the path of the universal vocation to holiness.
The search for one's own vocation is
indispensable for a serene and effective journey of growth; the vocation to the
married state, to the priesthood and to the consecrated life, are gifts which
the Lord lavishes on young people who are committed and who wish to live their
vocation in love with joy and enthusiasm.
In Jn 1:39, we can see that the
encounter with the person of Jesus – when it is genuine and deep – is recorded
in the heart, marks your life, and moves your existence. And then, like Andrew
and the other disciple of John, you will be able to stay with him.
"I have no other ambition but this:
I want to be the priest of vocations!
For vocations it is a long march...
I would consider it a great grace
if Jesus were to allow me,
for the sake of vocations,
to go begging my bread
until
the last day of my life." DON ORIONE (15.8.1927)
What is a vocation?
Everyone is called to do something of his life. If a person decides to serve a greater cause than his own personal preferences, it is said in response to a vocation.
Vocation, so this is a way to live life, understand and order as a service. But the call, the origin of the call does not come from the person. He can only receive and respond freely. The vocation is "to be called", "to be called by" and "to be called for." This requires listening for a response.
A
vocation to the religious/consecrated life is a special grace that God gives to
certain persons, calling them to a life of the evangelical counsels. It is a special grace that God gives to certain
people to serve Him in a special and exclusive way. And every vocation is born
of sacrifice, is maintained by sacrifice and is measured in the apostolate by
the sacrifice of those whom God calls to this kind of life.
St.
Paul points out that while we all have our place in the mystical body of Christ
(His church), each of us has a different mission in serving Him, just as the
human body has different parts with different functions (1 Cor , Ch. 12; Rom
12:3-8). And yet, how do we recognize our calling in life, if it doesn't seem
readily obvious, as is the case for most of us? It seems harder at times to
discern than to do God’s will for us.
We
have to trust that God will help us to discern and fulfill His mission for each
of us if we ask Him for His guidance with humility and sincerity. We may feel
perplexed or anxious as to what our state in life should be. Yet we need not
despair. God desires each of us to do His will in a particular way, which may
or may not seem important to others.
The prayer reminds us of a fundamentally important truth in
our faith: namely, that however cloudy or foggy our horizons may be,
particularly in the troubling times, we are all precious in God’s sight. And
while we may feel lost and anxious about our place in this world, remember that
not one of us is useless to our Lord. Each of us is meant to be a “link in a
chain” as Cardinal Newman puts it above.
And specially for you who still asking for your way, God have a plan.
You who are asking, How
can I experience Jesus now? How can I respond to His invitation?
Jesus himself is telling you : “Come and
see.” More, is calling you : "Follow Me" (Jn1:43).
The practical question arises of how to recognize a true vocation to the religious life. The need for recognizing a vocation is so important that everything else is secondary.
There is a need of Priests and Brothers, Sisters and many lay people who want to do good in the wake of Don Orione, working in our Institution or in your environment.
If some of you hear the call to follow Christ
more closely, to dedicate your entire heart to
Him, like the apostles John and Paul, be
generous, do not be afraid, reply with a faith-filled, "Yes!", because you have
nothing to fear when the prize that you await is
God himself, for whom, sometimes without ever
knowing it, all young people are searching.
Take heart young people! Christ is calling
you and the world awaits you! Remember that the
Kingdom of God needs your generous and complete
dedication. Every vocation, every path to which
Christ calls us, ultimately leads to fulfillment
and happiness, because it leads to God, to
sharing in God's own life.
Know the greatness of this mission, let
yourselves be completely caught up in this
whirlpool at whose center God himself is at
work. Be fully aware of carrying out a mission
that cannot be replaced. Do not let tiredness or
disappointment dull that freshness of
self-giving that the priestly vocation demands.
Be certain that, if you listen to His call
and follow Him, you will find great joy and
happiness. Be generous, take courage, and
remember His promise: "My yoke is easy and My
burden light" (Mt 11:30).
- PROCESS OF VOCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ACCORDING TO SDP
a) Service of discernment
This is not something separate from the youth apostolate groups.
There is a need for supporting and
encouraging certain special activities that are proper to our Congregation:
walks, Marian meetings, exhibitions, bicycle rides, pilgrimages, etc., At the
same time we must, by our personal participation as well as that of the young
people, support the ordinary leadership activities of each Province: district
youth meetings, spiritual exercises, school camps, visits to our charitable
institutions, experiences of service, missionary experiences, etc.
b) Personal guidance
This is meant to be a specialised kind of spiritual direction where the
pace of the maturing process of each person is respected. The group itinerary cannot be a substitute
for this personalised guidance.
This guidance presupposes: that we are
patient in this gradual process of maturing in the faith, so that the young
people may have clear criteria and true freedom to absorb the influences to
which they are subject from various sources and that they may become capable of
accepting their personal call from God with a Christian responsibility.
c) Vocational choices
The process of discernment and guidance must be offered to all young
people in their varying options: marriage, the lay, religious or priestly
state. Where there is a vocation of
special Orionine consecration and a clear way forward is perceived, the Youth
Apostolate will put the young person in contact with either the Vocational
Youth Apostolate Team, the Seminary, the Religious Community or the Lay
Institute. The young people must be
given the opportunity to meet each other in a specially meaningful witness of
faith and vocation.
- FEATURES OF VOCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Vocational leadership must be carried out:
a) Evangelically
- by following the example of Jesus in His
guidance and formation of His disciples;(
- by responding to the exhortation to make
use of the efficacy of trusting and persevering prayer: "Pray therefore
the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest." (
b) By the witness of one's own life:
By one's presence, by consistency in one's life, by faithfulness to the
Church and to the service of the poorest of the poor, by giving a prophetic
witness to the paramount importance of charity, thus accomplishing a
charismatic vocational service of leadership.
*
The Charism, like all vocations, is a plan conceived by God and which
covers all aspects of life. It is
something which, by its very nature, is passed on directly.
*
We must act in such a manner that the young people we approach become
one with the Pope, with the strong emphasis on love and fidelity that was a
feature of Don Orione. They must know
and understand that we profess a 4th Vow of Faithfulness to the Pope (male
religious) and of Charity (female religious) which is our special mark in the
Church.
c) As a community
On this subject of the Youth
Vocational Apostolate, the Community plays a decisive part. "We religious are personally called to
bear an obvious witness to our Vocation, and each of our communities, by living
in prayer, in the joy of brotherly fellowship and in willing service, is an
attractive and reliable sign for those who wish to respond to the Lord's
call. A fine strong community, where
peace and the sweet harmony of hearts reign, can only be something that is
treasured and desirable." (Constitutions of the SDP, No. 86.)
d) As a complete entity
All members of the Organisation are responsible for the furtherance of
vocations, but it is helpful to specify a particular Religious as being in
charge of the vocational guidance of his own Community, in collaboration with
the respective Secretariat. It will be
necessary to plan specific items for facilitating Religious in the Youth
Vocational Apostolate by making use of: meetings with the directors, spiritual
exercises, annual planning, meetings of young religious, permanent formation,
etc.
This mission must be accomplished with an
enthusiastic awareness of one's own vocation, passing it on effectively and
convincingly, in the joy of belonging to God and of rediscovering one's own
Orionine identity every day.
Prayer for Vocations of the Little Work of Divine Providence
Oh Jesus, in Your infinite love for mankind one day you said to the Apostles:
"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few:
pray ye therefore the Lord to send laborers into his harvest",
we humbly beseech you to accept this same prayer in your heart
and present it Yourself to Your Father in favor of the Little Work.
Gives rise to generous souls willing to work and sacrifice
to spread among the humble working class and among the poor,
the knowledge and the love of Thee, the Church and the Pope
Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Divine Providence,
reinforces our application with your Son Jesus
Our Patron Saints, intercede for us. Amen.
You feel that you are called by God to experience a life of special consecration, "Come and see."
Contact us at these numbers
Sons of Divine Providence _ Kenya
LangataSouth Road,
P.o.Box. 15145-00509, Nairobi
Tel. +254 0203561562
Mob. +254 729271461 / +254 722478889
E-Mail. providencenrb@yahoo.com
sdpnairobi@gmail.com
Blog: http://donorionekenya.blogspot.com/
Vocation Director:
Deac. Morris Mawira +254 729271461
magmox13@yahoo.com
Vocation Director:
Deac. Morris Mawira +254 729271461
magmox13@yahoo.com
For a video about Vocation: http://bcove.me/ktnx5ulf
