Your Life Has a Purpose: Embrace Your Vocation

Image by Aaron Burden

The word “vocation” may have different meanings and synonyms: calling, life’s work, mission, purpose, function…I like this definition from the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne though (thanks to Google, for helping me find it!):

"A vocation is a call from God, and anyone who has felt God's call knows that the process is anything but simple. While most people think of a vocation as what they are called to do in life, it is important to understand that the first and most important call from God is a call to be - the universal call to holiness."

First of all, we’re all called to be holy. But we need to find out how we’re meant to live out that call. Some of us may be called to do it within the context of raising a family; others may be called to the religious life.

For those of us who are called to be wives and mothers, let’s take a while to think about the vocation that we have right now.

Are we living it out well, according to how God wants us to?

Or are we just on “survival mode” every day, forgetting to look at the deeper meaning of all the chores and child-raising that we do?

Do we embrace our identities as mothers — no matter how imperfect we think we are?

Or do we dwell too much on our weaknesses (and those of our family members too), and fail to see that motherhood can actually be "sanctifying work"?

The truth is — and this is something I have learned but still need to be reminded of — when we embrace our vocations, we become fully alive. We become on fire for Jesus — and this fire spills over to everything we do for the people around us.

In the words of one of our most beloved saints:

I know this may be tough, though, because the mundane things of everyday life can really get to us. I know because I’ve been there many, many times. Thank God that He reminds me to look at my vocation from time to time.

Thank God, too, that there are communities offline and online (like CatholicMom!) that are there to provide encouragement, inspiration, affirmation, guidance... and yes, even just a venue for us to vent and release our frustrations! Our spiritual mentors and leaders, our pastors in the Church — all of them are also there to help us see the beauty of our vocations.

So, I invite you then, dear friends, to take a look at the vocation that you have now.

What are you called to do now?

What is your life’s work, your mission, your calling, your function in life?

Whatever it is, do it well, for the greater glory of God! For when we do so, we will be truly rich and blessed!

Do you find it difficult to embrace your vocation? Do you actually know what your vocation is right now? How can we pray for you and help you, friend? Please feel free to tell us in the comments!

Copyright 2015 Tina Santiago Rodriguez
Image attributions: Photo of cross by Aaron Burden via Unsplash | Other images created on Canva by the author