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13 Nov 2011 - Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

The bishops of North America have called the church to create a "culture of discernment." In such a culture, people would develop the skills and habit of reflecting on the gifts they bring to the world. They would not only know their gifts, but also put them to good use in response to God's call. Today's gospel offers an opportunity to invite people to reflect honestly on the talents, skills, and traits that are part of their personality and how they multiply life's goodness by using those talents fully.

bishops of north america culture of discernment skills

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Exploring the word

09 Jan 2011 - Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Cycle A

HOW DO YOU know when a call is from God? someone asked recently on the VISION Vocation Network website. When I repeated the question (which I found very valid) to a friend in ministry, he snorted, “How do you know it’s God—and not something else?” Clearly, some of us may feel shanghaied by God’s will now and then. In such instances that will may seem to have struck again, blindsiding us and making havoc of our plans. I suspect when we experience that sort of visitation, it’s more a matter of our attitude than God’s intentions. One person’s menacing intruder is another person’s surprise guest! The “how do we know?” question is one of discernment, the art form we Christians cultivate to guide us through life. Granted, some of us are better artists than others, which is why professional spiritual directors exist. But even if you never progressed past the crayon stage in your art education, you, too, can figure out where God is prodding you by following the scriptural whorls and patterns of the divine fingerprints. Prophecy gives us the first pattern: The faithful servant of God stands for justice. If justice itself confuses, that’s because we live in a world where human justice rarely intersects with the divine variety. Isaiah describes justice as the light that exposes oppression and lifts the unfortunate from its grip. When we see wrongdoing and feel motivated to speak out against it, we can reliably consider that a poke from God. The second “holy fingerprint” is noted in Saint Peter’s speech in the home of Cornelius: When we’re attracted to do as Jesus did, we know it’s from God. What sort of activity imitates Jesus? “Doing good”—which may be old-fashioned but never out of style. Bringing “healing”—to those who are in bodily distress or gripped by the darkness of mental trauma, poverty, discouragement, addiction, isolation, and other “devils” that bind human freedom. If the first fingerprint is found in prophetic speech and the second in Christ-like action, the third is more mystical: direct revelation. That is the familiar divine finger pointing from a cloud in comic strips. In my personal discernment I’d frankly prefer this kind of unambiguous affirmation: “That’s it, Alice, you’re my kind of woman!” That would both encourage me and let any adversaries know that God’s with me on this one. But because I can’t always count on the revelatory, I grasp the other end of Jesus’ experience here, his advice to John: “Allow it now.” It may not make sense, it may come wrapped in question marks, but do it anyway. Let wheat and tares grow up together and trust God to sort it out at the harvest. Related scripture links Flesh is grass: Isa. 40:6-8 Seventy years or eighty: Ps. 90:10 Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof: Matt. 6:34 (KJV) Catechism links Baptism: CCC 535-537; 1213-1274

Authors Alice Camille

Vocation call life calling Discernment

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Homily stories

22 Dec 2013 - Fourth Sunday of Advent, Cycle A

“This is what I believe to be true. . . You have to do everything you can, you have to work your hardest, and if you do, if you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining.” That is the newly formed philosophy of Pat Solatano, the main character in the movie Silver Linings Playbook, which tells the story of a man suffering from bipolar disorder who is struggling to get his impulses and emotions under control. His doctor tells Pat that he might need a better strategy to handle his anger, but silver linings is the best tack Pat has to deal with the difficulties life throws at him. His search for positive signs leads him to a woman who struggles with her own demons, but who turns out to be an expert at reading the signs and seeing how to make a bad situation better. Reading the signs is what Christians call the process of discernment. It is the time we take to recognize God’s presence in our lives and listen to where God might be calling us. The more practiced we become at reading the signs the more hopeful we are that all shall be well because God is with us. Feeling sure in the knowledge that God is with us: Now there’s a silver lining that belongs in everyone’s playbook.

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

Discernment

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Exploring the word

10 Jan 2016 - Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Cycle C

What if you knew absolutely for a fact that God is calling you to do something? Would you do it? If you’re a believer, of course you would. The hitch lies somewhere in the terrain of knowing “absolutely for a fact.” First, you have to know for sure it’s God who’s calling. Not some manifestation of guilt or righteous indignation or human sympathy. But really and truly God. Next, you have to be convinced God is asking you to do precisely this “something”—not as a metaphor, not as a nudge in a particular direction, but exactly this thing. None of us wants to wind up like Francis of Assisi, rebuilding the San Damiano church stone by agonizing stone, only to discover that God wants you to rebuild the church spiritually, not physically. Oh. So: When we get the ultimate Caller on the line concerning the ultimate mission, we want an identity check, and a mission clarification. And maybe one more thing, to be honest. We don’t want it to be too hard. We don’t want this calling to take up too much time. Because life is short, and most of us have plans. Did Jesus have plans for his life? Plans that didn’t involve wandering around Palestine with 12 unperceptive men for three years; healing a lot of people—some of whom forget to say thank you; telling stories nobody would get; and being executed horribly at the end of it all? Did Jesus ever dream of waking up in his own bed, in his own home, with his own family? If he was as human as we are, it’s hard to imagine he never had such thoughts. In his prayers in the garden at Gethsemane, we actually get to overhear his plea bargain for a different plan. But Jesus takes his call as beloved Son seriously. He might wish for other things, but he only wills what God wills. Jesus shapes his will to the divine will in every circumstance. So maybe he’s tired—but the crowds look like lost sheep, so he teaches them. He perceives his mission as being for the sake of Israel—but when in the territories, he ministers there too. On the cross, Jesus may feel personally forsaken—but when a dying thief makes a profession of faith, Jesus offers him paradise. Some of us think of vocation discernment as what those few kids who wind up as nuns or priests have to do. The rest of us can get on with our lives! Yet God calls all of us in Baptism. There’s a divine purpose nested in every heart here. If you don’t hear it, time to check your messages. Beloved son, beloved daughter, God is on the line. Related scripture links God in the word: John 1:1, 14; John 15:7; Heb. 4:12 Prepare the way of the Lord: Mark 1:3; Matt. 3:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23 Gift of the Spirit: John 14:15-18, 26; Acts 2:1-11 Are not our hearts burning?: Luke 24:32

Authors Alice Camille

Discernment Vocation call

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