Year IV, Number 51

There are many priests, seminarians and consecrated persons here today; be close to them and support them! And if, in the depths of your hearts, you feel the same call to the priesthood or consecrated life, do not be afraid to follow Christ on the royal road of the Cross! At difficult moments in the Church's life, the pursuit of holiness becomes even more urgent. And holiness is not a question of age; it is a matter of living in the Holy Spirit, just as Kateri Tekakwitha and so many other young people have done.

You are young, and the Pope is old and a bit tired. But he still fully identifies with your hopes and aspirations. Although I have lived through much darkness, under harsh totalitarian regimes, I have seen enough evidence to be unshakably convinced that no difficulty, no fear is so great that it can completely suffocate the hope that springs eternal in the hearts of the young.

Do not let that hope die! Stake your lives on it! We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father's love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his Son.

O Lord Jesus Christ,

keep these young people in your love.

Let them hear your voice

and believe what you say,

for you alone have the words of life.

Teach them how to profess their faith,

bestow their love,

and impart their hope to others.

Make them convincing witnesses to your Gospel

in a world so much in need

of your saving grace.

Make them the new people of the Beatitudes,

that they may be the salt of the earth and the light of the world

at the beginning of the Third Christian Millennium!

Mary, Mother of the Church, protect and guide

these young men and women

of the twenty-first century.

Keep us all close to your maternal heart. Amen.

Q. Dear Fr Anthony,

First off, I want to thank you for the time and for this web page because it has become a great guidance in my life. My question is (and I don't know if I am in the correct forum to ask, but here it goes) about my purpose in life. I am a college student who has a major in computer science with the prerequisites to attempt to get into medical school. I hope to be a doctor or nurse, but I don't care to do anything else in biology if I don't, so I am in computer science as a backup plan. My question is that I pray every night to find my purpose in life and I have not gotten a response yet. Could it be because I am actually by some chance choosing the correct path? If not, is it wrong for me to want to be a doctor, nurse, or computer scientist if I am working towards these degrees with the idea of helping people out instead of being successful? Also, do God's callings always come early in life? Sorry for such a long question, but frequently I am stressed by this dilemma. Thank you ever so much for taking the time to answer my questions. And also, on a side note, I think that this page is doing a wonderful job for the young adults and teens of today, so keep up the good work and God bless you all.

- Rick

A. Dear Rick,

Thank you, Rick, for your encouraging words. It is good to know that I can be of help. I have read your question a few times, trying to see where your uncertainty may be coming from. The whole point seems to be that you are in good dispositions, you even pray every night to find your purpose in life, but the answer doesn't seem to come. This makes you wonder why: is it because it is too late to be asking the question? Is it because the path you already are on is the correct one? Is it a question of your motivation?

I don't know the exact answer to this, but let me ask it and do some imagining: what kind of an answer are you expecting to your prayers? How do you think the answer is going to come to you?

At times we think that the answer to our prayers is going to come in the form of some unmistakable visible sign (like someone who does a novena to discover his vocation and tells God to send him someone to give him an answer. Then, as soon as he finishes it, a perfect stranger asks him if he is going to be a priest). It is not good to look for this type of sign, because by doing so we are giving God conditions. God, of course can send us a sign like this if he wants. But we shouldn't be counting on it, and much less stipulate it.

Other times we expect our prayers to be answered by an almost overwhelming interior illumination. We expect to be flooded with an absolute conviction in answer to our prayers, and to no longer have any doubt whatsoever about the path to follow. This is not good either. It is too subjective. It begs the question: couldn't this be just my imagination, some sudden euphoria; how can I be sure it's true?

So how do we know what God is saying in answer to our prayers? Several things can help us: one, remember what Jesus tells us, in essence: "Your Father knows what you need even before you ask him for it. If he loves you, will he hold back anything that you need? You wouldn't do that to someone you love, and he loves you much more." Then he also tells us how to pray: "Seek first the Kingdom of God, and then you will receive all else as well."

The important thing in prayer is not so much to ask as to change. Often we pray to find our way in life by saying: "Lord, tell me if it's A or B." Then we don't seem to get a clear answer. Could be it really is C, or maybe even D. So to get our answer we have to change: not to limit him to the choices we see, but to tell him we are willing to do anything he wants us to do. When we start praying we are usually looking for what is good for us (yes, for all the right motives, but it is still us that we are looking out for). The outcome of prayer is to start looking for what is best for his Kingdom.

Once you work on this you are going to need something else: a spiritual director, someone who will help you sort out the signs that often seem conflicting to us. As you pray better you will be more sensitive to the needs of the Church, the unique gift God gave us by giving us life, the sense of how little this life can compare to the next, and how short life really is. All of this will affect your attitude towards the way you are going to live yours, and the choices you make. You will see God's hand and providence in your life more easily. You will have more of a 'sense' of what he wants you to do. But it will never be absolutely clear. You will need some prudent advice and direction.

As regards your other question, if God's call comes early in life or not: God's call for you is from very early on - even before you began to live he knew you and had something in mind for you. But we are not God, obviously, so we don't know it from that far back. We find out about it later on, when the time is right according to God's plan. So there are some lucky souls who know from early on the path they must follow, while others find their way only as the years go by.

God bless.

- Fr Anthony

Q. Dear Fr Anthony,

Hi there. Just a quick question about discernment. I was once told by a friend who was discerning the priesthood that one of the things he learned in the process was that the only way to really know what your vocation is, if you think you are called to religious life, is to go into the seminary, convent, etc. and find out through the experience of being there, as well as the prayer and study while you are there. I am currently looking into the cloistered Poor Clares and Carmelites. There is a local Poor Clare monastery that I frequent, and I do love being there. I love listening to the nuns chant the Divine Office and pretending I'm a part of it. (I also fantasize about being a mother of a huge, good Catholic family, so I'm not sure that this really means anything.) I find myself often wishing that there was some type of lengthened retreat in the monastery, perhaps a couple months long, so that I could just go and live with them and get a feel for their lifestyle, but that of course isn't the way it works. At this point in my life, I find it hard to imagine selling everything and moving in as a postulant for a year, possibly to come back in another year to the same circumstances I'm in now. (I'm an elementary school teacher in a modest dwelling with one roommate - content, but still looking for more.) What do you suggest, in addition, of course to spiritual direction and prayer? Thanks for taking the time to answer my question.

- Kim

A. Dear Kim,

The last two things you mention are the most important and helpful: spiritual direction and prayer. But, as you realize they are not enough. Your friend’s reasoning is good: there is nothing like a live-in experience in a seminary or convent to really test your vocation, especially if you make it long enough for the initial novelty to wear off and give yourself the chance to experience the reality of the life you would be committing yourself to.

One of your fears seems to be that maybe your attraction to the contemplative life is purely emotional, you feel great when you are there to chant Office, but at the same time you realize that there is much more to convent life than that. And since you can fantasize just as easily about married life, you know that being able to imagine yourself there with the nuns is not enough to know you have a vocation. All of this tells me you are of pretty sound judgment.

Your spiritual director and the convent vocation director will be able to tell you if they think it would be prudent for you to enter and test your vocation as a postulant. If they do, then the only really sure step you can take towards knowing if it is your calling is to try the postulancy. It may not be necessary to sell everything in order to do so; perhaps you could leave your things in the care of someone you trust with indications of what to do if you are accepted into Novitiate or when you make your profession.

For now, while you look at this more closely in prayer, you could perhaps make some adjustments to your present life-style that will help you test yourself and also prepare you. If you don’t already have a fairly fixed daily routine, start now. Give set time to prayer, include Mass every day, Rosary, spiritual reading, time for personal prayer before the Eucharist, go to the local convent regularly for Office. If you are used to working with background music give it up for a while in order to experience silence (see how you work that one out with your roommate). This may mean cutting back on other things you like to do, but I think it will help you to live part of the reality of religious life before taking the step: the voluntary giving up of many normal and good things because God is asking something else of you. This way you can test your resolve and your perseverance, it will help you grow in intimacy and love with Christ, and you will be better prepared and know yourself better when the time comes to take a step.

I hope this helps, and I’m keeping you in my prayers. God bless.

- Fr Anthony

When it seems impossible for you to renounce a liking or a whim in order to please someone else, when it seems that you don’t have the time to do a small or large favor, when you think it is impossible for you to overcome the bad feelings you have towards your neighbor or someone you know, put your faith into action and think: “I want to love and serve Jesus Christ, who is present in this person.” If you truly love him, there will be no difficulty you cannot overcome.

Charity towards your neighbor is the great proof that we truly love Christ and God. All the other “demonstrations” that we wish to give of our love are empty, if we do not practice charity: “Anyone who says he loves God whom he does not see while he hates his brother whom he does see is a liar” (cf. 1 Jn 4:20-21).

The example of Jesus Christ himself must encourage and inspire you. First of all, the fact that he, being God, would become man, and as man would die on the cross to save us, is the greatest sign of love that has ever appeared on earth: “He loved me and sacrificed himself for my sake” (Ga 2:20). Moreover, his whole life was a continual oblation at the service of men. He himself says expressly, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). In fact, in the Gospel we hear him say, “For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the Gentiles do as much, do they not?” (Mt 5:46-47). How deeply he knows the human heart! He knew well our tendency to bear grudges, resentment, hatred, aversions, bitterness and contempt... he knew well the measure of our self-love, and how capable we were of revenge and retaliation. The love that he asks of his followers sets itself infinitely above our awkward and selfish divisions. We must love with the same love with which he has loved us, with the love that has forgiven our offences, with the love that is capable of forgiving his executioners at the very moment in which they are crucifying him: “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing” (Lk 23:34).

Gospel: Lk 2:22-40

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed, and a sword will pierce your own soul, too." There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Introductory Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, teach me to follow your example of fidelity, a fidelity that hinges upon self-donation. Banish from my heart conditional generosity. Just as you, Jesus, were presented in the Temple as a perfect and total oblation to God the Father, so do I wish to present my life completely to you. May I live centered on you, O Lord, and on the mission you entrust to me. May I follow your footsteps, the footsteps of fidelity.

Petition: Lord, enlighten my mind to grasp what true fidelity is, and enflame my heart to surrender my entire life to do your will.

1. "Seeing Salvation"

Simeon and Anna were the epitomes of fidelity. For many long years they waited for the coming of the Lord, and for many long years they lived out daily prayer, daily fasting, and daily holiness. Their whole life was focused on serving God night and day. The Catechism states, “Prayer is the response of faith to the free promise of salvation and also a response of love to the thirst of the only Son of God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2561). This is what Simeon and Anna practiced every day of their lives.

By their fidelity to prayer and sacrifice, they were guided by the Holy Spirit to recognize Christ and to see the salvation for which they prayed. Often Christ pases by us without us even knowing it, due to our lack of prayer and sacrifice. If I do not know you in prayer, O Lord, how can I hope to see you in my life? If I do not live for you by my sacrifice, how can I see your plan for my salvation (my vocation)?

2. " A Baby’s Sermon"

How is it that the Redeemer needed to be redeemed? How could purity itself be purified? How could a sacrifice be offered for him who was to be the ultimate sacrifice? Why did you, O Lord, submit yourself to the humiliation of the Presentation? One reason: to give example. Too young to even speak, Jesus still delivers a mighty sermon by his ever-faithful example.

You, dear Jesus, allowed the Presentation to teach us humility and obedience. Later you would say, “Learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart” (Mt 11:29) and “I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you” (Jn 13:15). Even as a “sign to be opposed” you did not flee from suffering, but endured all of this for our salvation and example. “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps” (1 Pt 2:21). Help me to follow your example of humility, obedience and suffering, offering everything to God the Father for the salvation of souls.

3. "The Piercing Sword"

Simeon then turned to Mary saying, “And a sword will pierce your own soul also.” Amidst the joy of Simeon’s initial words, the shadow of the cross fell upon Jesus and his mother, Mary. Our Blessed Mother began to grasp from that day forward, that her sufferings would be part of Christ’s redemptive mission. Stabat juxta crucem. Mary was faithful to her mission until the end of her life, standing firm even underneath the cross.

Dialogue: Lord Jesus, you call me, like Mary, to help in the salvation of souls. My fidelity to my mission is how I continue the salvation you began. Like Mary, I must intercede for others by my prayers and sacrifices. Like Mary, I must lead souls to Christ by my own model of holiness. I want to serve you totally, Lord, and remain faithful even if the cross looms before me. I don’t want my love to depend on how hard my mission is. I want to give my heart totally, as you still do in the Eucharist, living totally for love of God and love of souls.

Questionnaire:

1. In my prayer life, how do I see the action of God’s grace in my soul? What is he asking of me? If I can’t see God’s grace, could it be result of my infidelity or inconstancy to prayer?

2. In what ways am I striving for holiness, to be an example of Christ’s love? What sin remains in my life that most disfigures my imitation of Christ?

3. How can I practice more sacrifice in my life to win graces for the salvation of souls and for the grace of knowing my own mission?

John Paul II writes in his post-synod exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis that the identity of the priest "like every Christian identity, has its source in the Blessed Trinity" (PDV, 12). If we wish to understand who the priest is and for what purpose he exists, we must turn our gaze to the Blessed Trinity. By directing our attention to the Blessed Trinity, John Paul II puts everything into its proper perspective. In the midst of turmoil and confusion, Trinity Sunday comfortingly reminds us that the identity of the priest the identity of every Christian is located not in the changing world, but rather in the eternal and unchanging life of God himself.

The Holy Father goes on to say "The ecclesiology of communion becomes decisive for understanding the identity of the priest, his essential dignity, and his vocation and mission among the People of God and in the world" (PDV, 12). In his 1996 retreat to the Papal Household, Dominican Cardinal Christopher Schonborn said, "Friendship is the sharing and communicating of what is most precious to us. Jesus no longer calls the disciples 'servants' but he calls them 'friends,' because he has entrusted to them the innermost secret of his life: his love for the Father in the Holy Spirit" (Loving the Church, 167. Ignatius Press). The supreme gift that God offers to mankind is a share in his own beatitude. The Catechism of the Catholic Church in its prologue establishes this truth testifying to its centrality in the Christian life. The beatitude that God offers is nothing other than a share in the Communion of Persons of the Blessed Trinity. So profound is this Trinitarian Communion that the Persons are distinguished not by being, but by relationship. God is three Persons in one Being. This mystery is at the very heart of the universe and at the very heart of every Christian identity. How does one come to share in this beatitude? Jesus gave Nicodemus the answer. He told him that one must be born from above, born anew by water and the Spirit. Why does God offer this communion to mankind? On Trinity Sunday, we heard Jesus answer this question for Nicodemus as well: "God so loved the world that he sent his only-begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him might not die but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

It is Christ and his grace that make it possible for mankind to share in the inner life of God. So extraordinary is this reality, that St. John Damascene writes, "through participation in God, man becomes by grace what Christ is by nature." Communion is the work of Christ. The priest configured to Christ, the Head and Shepherd of the Church, stands in persona Christi Capitis. In the person of the priest, Christ, the Head and Shepherd, is present in the midst of the flock. Through the instrumentality of the priest, He continues to accomplish the work of communion. Indeed, John Paul II states, "the work of priests is above all communion” (PDV, 17).

The priest, by God’s providence and goodness, stands at the service of communion. He is the servant of communion. Now is the time for priests to be ever more vigilant in the work of communion.

Upcoming Events & Retreats

(( Listed here are retreats directed by the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi members. For a listing of diocesan activities and other events, click here to go to the vocation.com website ))

LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST

Cornwall, ONT, Feb 7-9, 2003, Test Your Call Retreat. Ages 16-30. Price: none. Contact Fr William Slattery at wslattery@legionaries.org or at (613) 931-1920.

Cheshire, CT, Feb 7-9, 2003, Test Your Call Retreat. Ages 16-30. Price: none. Contact Br Branigan Sherman at vocation@legionaries.org or (800) 420-5409.

Houston, TX, Feb 8-9, 2003, Evangelization Mission. Ages 16-30. Contact Donna Rueby at dmrueby@hotmail.com or (281) 361-3708. Sponsored by Youth for the Third Millennium

Sacramento, CA, Feb 9-10, 2003, Young Men's Retreat. Ages 16-30. Price: $15. Contact Br Robert DeCesare at sgomez@legionaries.org or (916) 716-5506.

Folsom, LA, Feb 21-23, 2003, Young Men's Retreat. Ages 18-30. Contact Michele Kot at michelektkc@juno.com or (985) 652-1840

Denver, CO, Feb 21-23, 2003, Young Men's Spiritual Exercises. Ages 16-25. Contact Julie Weidinger at jweidingerykc@yahoo.com or (719) 481-5760.

REGNUM CHRISTI consecrated women

Los Angeles, CA, Feb 7-9, 2003, Young Women's Spiritual Growth Retreat. Ages 16-30. Contact Magdalena Faine at mfaine@inteducators.org or(562) 597-6351.

Washinton DC, Feb 7-9, 2003, Spiritual Exercises. Ages 17-30. Contact Lucy Honnor at lhonnor@inteducators.org or(301) 536-6931.

Los Angeles, CA, Feb 9, 2003, Young Women's Spiritual Growth Retreat. Ages 16-30. Contact Magdalena Faine at mfaine@inteducators.org or(562) 597-6352.

Ottawa, Feb 15-17, 2003, Spiritual Exercises. Ages 17-30. Contact Lourdes Cano at lcano@inteducators.org or (401) 225-2314.

Midwest, TBC, Feb 28 - Mar 2, 2003, Spiritual Exercises. Ages 17-30. Contact Margaret Mullan at Mmullan@inteducators.org or (614) 562-9017.

REGNUM CHRISTI consecrated men

Call Tony MacDonnell for more information, (301) 365-3205. info@ytm.org.

ShoreLines welcomes your questions and comments at questions@shorelines.org. If you do not specify otherwise, your question may be posted in the Vocations Q&A section.

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