Discerning Our Role “We are only Christians if we encounter Christ, even if He does not reveal Himself to us as clearly and irresistibly as he did to Paul in making him the Apostle of the Gentiles. We can also encounter Christ in reading Holy Scripture, in prayer, and in the liturgical life of the Church - touch Christs heart and feel that Christ touches ours. And it is only in this personal relationship with Christ, in this meeting with the Risen One, that we are truly Christian. — Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI One of the pitfalls of following current events more closely is that we are tempted to devote our time and energy into too many causes. We have no doubt witnessed others—if not guilty of it ourselves—fluttering frenetically from one cause to another. Even with the best of intentions, this activism heals only our human impulse that action, whatever the form, will solve problems. In the absence of prayerful discernment about what we ought to be doing, how can we be sure that we are engaged in the right activities and work? In fact, what must occur prior to our action is deep contemplation about our gifts, our limitations, and what God is calling us to do in our earthly life. At its most fundamental level, this discernment concerns our vocational state. Having been involved, in one way or another, with youth formation programs for more than two decades, I know that our culture presses young people for answers to subsequent questions before providing sufficient time (and, in Wyoming, we’d add space) for proper discernment. The result is the aforementioned problem of equating any activism with solving cultural problems. To combat this human, and distinctly modern and American impulse, we have to nurture a contemplative, discerning, interior life regularly—preferably, daily. Otherwise, the “fire in the belly” that causes us to jump into the cause of the day will be easily extinguished. Moreover, in the absence of prayerful discernment about what we ought to be doing, how can we be sure that we are engaged in the right activities and work? For Christians, therefore, discerning our role—whether in the workplace or in the public square—begins with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Even for Roman Catholics, who enjoy the particular blessing of receiving our Lord, fully present, in the Holy Eucharist, our relationship with Him must be carefully and earnestly cultivated. As Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI says, “Faith is above all a personal, intimate encounter with Jesus, and to experience His closeness, His friendship, His love; only in this way does one learn to know Him ever more, and to love and follow Him ever more. May this happen to each one of us.” This simple but often elusive relationship has an additional benefit: when we successfully discern our calling, we will be sustained, not only by our earthly relationships but also by our Lord Himself. Given all the reasons and ways in which we can witness to the Lord’s truth in the public square, we can use all the help we can get! With these points in mind, be careful about a very different, but equally prevalent problem: perpetual discernment. Just as we ought not jump from one activist cause to another, with no order or purpose, we ought not discern that our vocation is to discern forever. The Lord needs us, and soon, to perform our role, whatever that may be. If each of us does so, then the heavy lifting will be done by a crowd, rather than by a few. As my students over the years could attest, I’m fond of saying that when it comes to discernment, make a decision. That does, indeed, require contemplation, but you should be doing that anyway. The Lord, after all, is waiting. Listen, and then move forward. Contact Us Wyoming Catholic College PO Box 750 Lander, WY 82520 (307) 332-2930
Posted on: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 11:57:00 +0000
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