When You Answer The Call…

I’m sure we all have received calls that have changed our lives. There are the kind we hope we
never receive etc. or something tragic happening to someone we love. There are also the ones that
change our lives in a good way. Some of you may have met a person at a friend’s house or a party
and you thought, “I would really like to get to know that person better.” After exchanging phone
numbers, the person gives you a call and as one thing leads to another you become the best of
friends. Your life has been changed and you are grateful for it.

There are many episodes in the Holy Scripture on how God called his Prophets. One of my
favorites is the calling of Samuel. Samuel got a call in the middle of the night His life was changed
and so were the lives of all God’s people for hundreds of years thereafter, especially since Samuel is
the person who established the monarchy and anointed Israel’s first two kings. Martin Luther King
received a call to the ministry and that led to other calls to struggle in a non-violent way for justice
for all the people in USA. Andrew and another disciple heard John the Baptist point out Jesus and
they responded to Jesus’ call to “come and see.” The next day Peter received his brother Andrew’s
call to meet Jesus. Their call was not dramatic as dramatic as Samuel’s was.

It’s very, very seldom that God calls out our name in the middle of the night as he did with Samuel.
Usually he speaks to us through others, through a religious person like John the Baptist or even
through relative or friend. Sometimes he speaks through someone we don’t like. If we answer when
God speaks, our lives will never be the same. Maybe that’s why many people avoid quiet prayer.
They might hear God say something they don’t want to hear. They’re comfortable with their life the
way it is.

As I look back from my past, I couldn’t think that my life was radically changed when God called
me to follow him, to assimilate him closer. I hoped I could be like everyone else and get married
some day and have children. But << the way of God is not our way, his thoughts are not our
thoughts >>. God just kept calling to me without recognizing it until finally I gave in and said
to God: “<< speak Lord, for your servant is listening”>>. I’m glad I answered “yes.” Giving up
marriage is hard at times, but so is being married hard at times. Following Christ in especial form of
consecration professing the Evangelical Counsel, has been very fulfilling and nothing to fear of, as
Jesus said to Peter: << Don’t afraid, from now on you will become fisherman of men >>.

At times we think maybe God is saying something to us but we’re not sure. God calls everybody
and it’s up to us to answer him or not. It maybe a call for marriage, to be some big thing like going
into religious life, to be a missionary, or as simple as volunteering for some kind of service to others
or praying a little more. We think, “is this really what God wants?”. God does reach us through
others. We see that through the Scriptures, he touches us and speaks to us. His eternal call to us is to
holiness, which we attain to an ever-greater degree as we come to know him and love him.

Try to think:

1. Have you ever tried to ask yourself: is this really what God wants to me?
2. Am I ready to answer His call?
3. Do you find it hard to say “yes” to Him?
4. Parents, are you an obstacle for the vocation of your children?

11 February 2013