Tất cả trong chúng ta mỗi người đều có một "ơn gọi" riêng, một ơn gọi để trở nên những gì mà chúng ta đang là hiện tại. Một số người trong chúng ta có thể nghĩ rằng ơn gọi là sự kêu gọi chúng ta để trở thành linh mục, hay một nữ tu. Thay vào đó, ơn gọi là sự kêu gọi chúng ta để thực hành và phát huy những tài năng và năng khiếu mà Thiên Chúa đã ban riêng cho chúng ta, không phải chỉ để cho vinh quang của Ngài mà còn mang lại những hữu ích cho nhân loại, để họ đến gần Ngài hơn.
Khi chúng ta không xử dụng ơn gọi của chúng ta một cách nghiêm túc, cũng giống như khi chúng ta nhận lấy một quà tặng người khác biếu một cách không nghiêm túc. Có lẽ một số người trong chúng ta có thể cảm thấy khó khăn để xác định cái ơn gọi của mình hoặc để phát triển các năng khiếu và tài năng của chúng ta trong việc theo đuổi ơn gọi của chúng ta. Thông thường, điều này xảy ra bởi vì có lẽ chúng ta đã quên rằng việc thực hiện "ơn gọi” của chúng ta đòi hỏi chúng ta làm việc sát cánh với Chúa Giêsu.
Chúng ta hãy học nơi những người bạn Công Giáo của thánh nữ Ann Seton Những người đã giúp cho thánh nữ thấy được tình yêu thuơng, bác ái và sự quan tâm cho con người và đã giúp cho thanh nữ quyết tâm trở thành người công giáo tốt giống như họ. Khi chúng ta gặp phải những đau buồn thất vọng, chúng ta hãy cố gắng quên đi nỗi buồn của chúng ta, và thay vào đó, chúng ta nên làm việc và tìm cách giúp cho thế giới của chúng thành một môi trường tốt đẹp hơn để sống. Hãy giúp đỡ và an ủi những người đau khổ cần sự giúp đỡ, Hãy ban phát tình yêu và săn sóc những ai đang cần tới sự giúp đỡ cũa chúng ta, Bạn hãy nhớ rằng Thiên Chúa sẽ ở trong chúng ta trong tất cả mọi hoàn cảnh.
We all have a vocation, a call to become more than what we are. As Christians, God calls us to become his disciples and to spread the Good News. A calling may not be the same from one person to the next. St. John the Baptist, for example, was called to prepare the way for the Lord's coming. And we read in today's reading, that even as he accomplished his calling, he also points the way for others to follow Jesus. Andrew and Peter are among the first disciples of Jesus who answer God's calling with John's help. Jesus guides them as disciples, and later in their own lives, Sts. Andrew and Peter become great missionaries of Christ.
Some of us may think that a vocation is a calling for one to become priests or nuns. Rather, a vocation is a calling for us to fulfill the talents and skills God has given us not only for His glory but also to bring the rest of humanity closer to Him. When we do not take our vocation seriously, it is akin to not taking our own gifts seriously. Perhaps some of us may find it difficult to define our vocation or to develop our skills and talents in pursuit of our vocation. Usually this happens because perhaps we have forgotten that the fulfillment of our calling requires us to working side by side with Jesus. Jesus is our superior, coach, mentor, and pillar of support. Let us work with our Lord Jesus in making our vocations a reality and an achievement that will benefit not just ourselves but also those around us.
PRAYER
"Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit and let me grow in the knowledge of your love and truth. Let your Spirit be aflame in my heart that I may know and love you more fervently and strive to do your will in all things."
They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. John 1:38–39
What an interesting exchange. Andrew was one of two disciples of John the Baptist who heard John say that Jesus was the “Lamb of God.” As a result, Andrew and the other disciple left the Baptist and started to physically follow Jesus. As they began to follow Jesus, He turned to them and asked them what they were looking for. And their response, followed by Jesus’ invitation, is recorded above.
Jesus’ invitation was unique: “Come, and you will see.” With that invitation, these two disciples went and remained with Jesus that day. But that’s not all that happened. It is clear from the subsequent passage that by spending the day with Jesus, these two disciples came to faith in Who Jesus was. Later in the passage, Andrew goes to his brother Peter to tell him, “We have found the Messiah.” What was it about their day with Jesus that convinced them of Who He was?
Though the details of their stay with Jesus are not included in the Gospel, it seems clear that simply being in Jesus’ presence is all that these disciples need. Consider, again, Jesus’ twofold invitation: “Come…” followed by “and you will see.”
When our Lord speaks to each of us, His invitation is quite similar. First, He will invite us to come with Him. We are to come to the place where Jesus is staying. Where is that? For us, it is not necessarily a physical place; rather, it is first and foremost a place of prayer. We must hear Jesus invite us to come to Him through the interior journey of personal prayer. It is there, within the depths of our soul, that we will rest with our Lord. He invites us to simply be there in His divine presence.
When we come to Him and rest with Him in His presence, another thing will happen: “and you will see.” We will see Him, come to know Him, be enlightened by Him and come to faith in Him. At first, this happens by His spoken Word. Ultimately, this takes place through an interior revelation that we can only receive in prayer.
Reflect, today, upon this gentle invitation that our Lord gave to these disciples. As you ponder these words, hear them spoken also to you. At first, spend time reflecting only upon the word “come.” Allow it to penetrate your soul. Allow it to become deeply personal. Know that it is a real and loving invitation from Jesus. After that, try to spend time pondering the words “and you will see.” What is it that God wants you to see? What personal revelation of faith does God want to bestow upon you? “Come, and you will see.” Allow these words to change your life, just as they changed the lives of these first disciples of our Lord.
Lord, You continuously invite me to come to You, to be with You and to sit with You in Your divine presence. Please help me to hear this gentle invitation of Your love. As I do, please open the eyes of my soul to see You, know You and love You more fully. And as I see You, give me grace and strength to follow You wherever You lead. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord, you invite me each day to come and stay with you. That is what I truly desire. I only want to be with you and dwell with you all the days of my life.
1. They Remained with Jesus: The Gospel of John tells us how two of John the Baptist’s disciples, Andrew and most likely the Apostle John, followed Jesus and asked him about where he was staying. The word “staying” has a deep meaning in John’s Gospel. It is the same word as remaining or abiding. The two disciples of John saw where Jesus was staying and abided with him that day. This is a wonderful image of the Christian life. It is so much more than imitating Jesus. It is about entering into true communion with Jesus, him abiding in us and we in him. We see the great effect of abiding with Jesus. The two disciples want others to come and experience Jesus in person. Andrew brings his brother Simon to Jesus. And Jesus immediately changes Simon’s name to “Cephas,” the Aramaic word for “rock.” In fact, the name “Peter” is the Greek word for “rock,” and upon this rock, Jesus builds his Church (see Matthew 16:18).
2. Acting as Children of God: Like the Gospel of John, the First Letter of John loves contrasts. Today’s contrast is between those who show they are children and slaves of the devil by persisting in serious sin and those who show they are true children of God by acting in righteousness. For John, acting in righteousness means loving God and neighbor. As Catholics, we do not hold that we are made righteous through faith alone. Although our initial justification, which places us in a right relationship with God, is by faith and is unmerited, we need our initial faith to flourish in loving works of righteousness so as to attain the vision of God in heaven. This means that although we do not merit the initial gift of sanctifying grace, we are called to merit the glory of heaven through works of love empowered by divine grace.
3. Act in Righteousness: Acting in righteousness is possible because, as children of God, we have been given sanctifying grace and the infused virtues of faith, hope, and charity. Grace abides in our soul and makes us sharers in divine life. Faith abides in our mind and elevates it to truths that exceed our natural capacity. Hope resides in our will and makes us actively tend toward God. Charity abides in our will and unites us to God imperfectly in this life and perfectly in the next. Empowered by divine grace and disposed by the infused virtues, we can act righteously and merit eternal life!
onversing with Christ: Lord, where are you staying? You are staying in the tabernacle and I can visit you. You are in the poor and I can serve you. You are in the hungry and I can feed you. You are in the hospital and I can visit you. You are in my heart and I can be with you.
Resolution: At the end of each day, it is good to look back and see where we failed and possibly sinned and where we truly acted as children of God. On the one hand, we should humbly ask forgiveness for our faults and seek to experience God’s mercy. On the other, we should thank God for the good things we accomplished today through his grace. This daily practice can help us remain united to God in love and truly act as his children.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was a happily married woman with five children and a devoted husband. Tragically, during a trip to Italy, her husband died. During this time of bereavement, their Catholic friends showered her with such sympathy, help, and compassion that she decided to become a Catholic herself. A few years later, she started a grade school in Baltimore. From then on, her accomplishments included establishing an order that eventually laid the foundation for parochial schools in America.
Let us learn from St. Seton's Catholic friends who showed her so much caring humanity that she resolved to become one of them. When we are down and out, let us try to forget our sadness and, instead, work to make the world a better place to live in. When we see other people in need of succor and support, let us give them the care and love that they need, remembering that God will be with us – all the way.
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