Discerning a Vocation

Are you still discerning a vocation?

That’s okay! It takes time to discern a vocation. You shouldn’t rush into it and then regret it later. Pray about it. Spend some time with the Lord. Go to daily Mass and the Adoration Chapel.

Try making a little list of things that you could work on to help you grow spiritually in your daily life. Write them down in a journal. Get wise counsel from a nun or a priest; talk to them about your discernment process.

It’s not wrong to be single!

Some people think it’s not good for young men or women to be single. Sometimes they try to change their minds by getting into matchmaking or talking them out of it. In Jane Austen’s time, once a young woman reached a certain age, she was considered an old maid. Thank goodness we no longer think like that.

Single men and women should never be looked down on because they aren’t married. They should be encouraged in their vocation!

Single men and women help people in different ways; it just might not always be noticed or appreciated. It is the little things, like St. Therese the Little Flower talked about in her book The Story of a Soul, that matter in the eyes of God. He notices whenever someone does a kind deed for another or offers up daily sacrifices.

 What is a consecrated virgin?

 A consecrated virgin is a man or a woman who takes the permanent vow of chastity and is consecrated by a diocesan bishop. They discern after, a period of time, that God is calling them to be single and remain in this state. Consecrated virgins commit to spending time with the Lord. They are encouraged to read the book of Psalms from the Bible or The Divine Office.

If reading the Divine Office seems overwhelming to you, you can also read The Little Divine Office of The Blessed Virgin Mary. This book has a shorter version of most of the same things that relate to the Divine Office, like Matins, Lauds, Prime, and Sext.

But … I don’t want to become a consecrated virgin.

 You don’t have to become a consecrated virgin. You can still serve the Lord whether you are married or single. God wants all of us to spend time with him.

What if God is calling me to become a nun or a priest?

 Again, it is a very good idea to discern the call that God has for you. If you are seriously thinking about becoming a nun or a priest, research the different orders. If there is an order that grabs your attention, contact them to see how you can learn more.

A final note

 If you are called to marriage, consecrated virginity, or to become a priest or nun, God will give you the strength to take these steps. Sometimes, as Maria in The Sound of Music said, “When the Lord closes a door, somewhere he opens a window.” We might not always understand in this life why he would close the door on one of these options, but in the meantime, we ask him for his will. He will guide you in this process.

Copyright 2023 Angela Lano