When faced with the question of final profession, I have been reflecting on the idea of vocation itself. 

The first difficulty is contextual. In the American context, “vocation” has been reduced to nothing more than a means of obtaining and trading various pieces of paper until death and pretending that this somehow qualifies as “successful,” i.e. the absolute best thing one can do with their life. The insidious lie of our over-consumeristic culture is that women and men are only valuable insofar as they are economic actors. Such an idea of vocation is, put bluntly, pathetic and dehumanizing. 

However, the second difficulty encountered is one of articulation, i.e. why choose a particular religious vocation over a “secular life”? We see such a common attitude of keep your religion private and to yourself in the American context, so that “money-theism” can continue to occupy the space of religion and religion is viewed as susperstition.  
Hence, the notion that one could receive a divine call, let alone respond to it, runs against the cultural grain. That there is a Christ, crucified and risen, who says follow me presents the terrifying possibility of a new vision for humanity, i.e. that there is a Kingdom of God that is worth participating in over and against the kingdoms of men, the possibility that there is a choice that is not the choice of the capitalist system. A choice in which one steps away from being a mere economic actor and assumes the identity of a human person created in God’s image and created to be in relationship with Him and the whole of humanity through a response to the invitation to live as faithful disciples of Christ in the power of the Spirit. This is what we call in Catholic Tradition a vocation, whether it be married, single, or religious. 

Yet, one quickly encounters a third difficulty: the relationship with a world where the idea of vocation is “weird.” The classical line used is to be in the world but not of the world, sometimes applied generally to Catholic life or specifically in various vocations. However, this phrase, has become banal over the years and serves as a justification of being totality in and thus defined by the world as such, as if wearing a suit and tie instead of a Roman Collar or habit is somehow a witness to the Gospel. On the other hand, there has been a more recent emphasis on not of the world, which seems initially attractive precisely because of the repulsiveness of the model vocation defined only by economics. However, this entails a constant rejection and defines itself in negative terms. The choice thus becomes principally against contemporary culture rather than principally for Christ. The world still defines vocation, and Christ is tragically still treated as secondary.

Having lived the Spiritan life for some years, I’m reminded of Libermann’s thought on vocation as a balance between interior and exterior call. The first comes from the grace of the Spirit and the second comes from Divine Providence. The first generates the fire of the Spirit in one’s heart, while the second ensures sufficient fuel will be given. This is not, however, so that we can do whatever we want. It is so that we can assume our divine call to participate in the Divine mission for salvation in and through the Church. Moreover, what is generated therefrom is not a vague sense of satisfaction or happiness, but a lived joy of and for mission. 

The benefit is not ours either, but of the entire people of God. It is for the good of bringing others to a total encounter with Christ. This underscores the need for holiness as the grounds for evangelization (Rule of 1849 1.1.III), the choice for Christ who is, “the Source, the Principal, and the Soul of all [our] works,” (Rule of 1849 1.1.VIII), which happens in the world. The first movement of the vocation is one of ex-culturation towards Christ and then, and only then, in-culturation toward the people of God in a particular context, most especially the poor and marginalized. It is a summons to be not of the world, for its salvation. 

In preparing for my final profession, I pray that I might be able to live in the Spirit and live out a true, evangelizing, joyful holiness in our world today, despite the difficulties mentioned above. Libermann’s council is daring against discouragement, “Does that mean that we should abandon [our mission]…? God forbid such cowardice!” (Rule of 1849 1.4.I). With my soul stoked by the fires of the Spirit, there is only one trajectory forward, a complete handing-over of myself into the Spiritan life. Please pray for me as I do such and pray for all those in formation around the world, that we may assume the mission to which the Lord has summoned to proclaim the Gospel to the whole of creation.