Missionaries of the Sacred

August Vocation Letter: The Place of Peace in the Discernment Process PDF Print
Thursday, 05 August 2010 12:47
Last month I wrote about getting started on your life’s journey as part of the discernment process. There is no final commitment for several years after one has begun. Just like dating someone is part of the discernment about deciding whom to marry, so entering a seminary or a novitiate program is part of the discernment process both for you and for your potential partner, or religious order or diocese.

Now I would like to write about the place of peace in this process. A protestant minister, Bob Mumford wrote about the process of discerning God’s will in his book Fifteen Steps Out. Saint Francis DeSales also wrote about God’s will. I would like to combine their insights with a few of my own.

There are three signs, like three harbor lights that, once they are lined up, can guide a ship into port without mishap. These three signs are as follows:

 

  1. Is what I am contemplating doing within the will of God? Contemplating an assassination is definitely not within the will of God. A life of love and honesty clearly is within the will of God.

  2. Lots of things are within the will of God but are clearly not for me. Therefore I ask myself: "Do I have what it takes? Am I cut out for it? Am I at peace with it?" God’s will rests peacefully within the person if he is trying to find and follow God’s will whatever that may be. God’s will rests consistently within the person. It is not faddish - today a farmer, tomorrow a doctor, the next day a priest or religious.  If the person is really trying to find his true vocation his "No." to whatever he feels he is not cut out for will be gentle, peaceful. If the "No!!!" is very strong, not peaceful, the person may not really be interested in what God wants as his or her true vocation. However, if he or she decides to try to follow God’s will he or she will share in Jesus’ "Not my will but Thine" from His Agony in the Garden. When I am trying to follow my true vocation, whatever it is, I will be able to peacefully, even if reluctantly, let go of options other than my true vocation.

  3. In carrying out my calling I will be able to do it peacefully, humbly, obediently.


I started out wanting to become a priest. I knew nothing about men’s religious communities. I learned about brothers in the seminary and met and admired these men, but did not aspire to be one of them. I recall saying "I would never live like they do?" (strong no!)

During the ceremony to make my final vows I was so afraid that I almost walked out of the chapel. "Forever" in the vow formula means a long, long, long time, a total commitment. I recalled being taught to follow what I had decided when I was at peace. And so I made the vows "forever". The peace I had known before played a role in my decision to stay in the seminary as a Missionary of the Sacred Heart. A few years later my emotional problems disturbed my peace and that of the seminary staff. Ordination would not have been right for me. They offered to apply for a dispensation from my vows but, after a few weeks thought, I decided to stay on as a brother. I knew I was called to something clearly religious, and I felt at home (peace) within this community.

It took nine years to let go of my dream and to accept fully God’s dream for me. My true vocation unveiled as I tried to live it out. I am at peace. (I was able to peacefully, even if reluctantly, let go of options other than my true vocation.)

Those who have received my letters before have read this story a few times. I write it now for those who will read it the first time and because for those still seeking the will of God, it is can be helpful reading again.

Peace,
Brother Joe Tesar, MSC
 

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