His Call; Our Answer

The following is a theological reflection given for house prayer at St. Meinrad Seminary.  The reading on which it is based is Ephesians 1:15-23:

As members of a house of formation for the priesthood, we have, no doubt, spent quite some time thinking about our “call:” our vocation.  During my time here, I have found that I often try to understand this call in one of two ways: what do I have to offer, and what can be done in me?  These viewpoints are important, especially if we take into consideration what our lives might be like as priests. 

While the priestly life is filled with many graces, it only takes five minutes of candidly speaking with our pastors to realize that it is also filled with very real problems.  For the sake of the Church, we will be asked to do what may seem impossible to us at this point in our life; we will be presented with overwhelming obligations, under-appreciated tasks, and isolating situations.  We will struggle against the powers of evil, found in our neighbor, and in ourselves.

So, in order to meet these challenges, we must be prepared, we must be formed to do what will be required of us.  Our resolve to obedience, to perseverance, to initiation must be tested; our ability to face the inevitable obstacles of sin and sinner, both in others and in ourselves, must be strengthened and honed. 

But in all of this preparation, in the quest to grasp our vocation, we must be remember, as the reading makes clear to us tonight, that it is not our vocation we are called to have, it is the Father’s, and so it follows that it is not our gift we are called to give, but his.  

“The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory” has opened the “eyes of [our] hearts to be enlightened, that [we] may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance… what is the surpassing greatness of his power… in accord with his great might” (Eph. 1:18 and following)

If we can remember and acknowledge this in our lives, my brothers, God will use us to reflect the salvation He has prepared in the sight of every people, who is Christ our Lord.

We will then realize that what we have to offer is not a call, it is an answer.   

What is yours?