Is it a Grace from God to answer the call of God to your order?

Is it a Grace from God to answer the call of God to your order? And If so, how do you discern your call? How do you learn the Good and Evil Spirits in one’s life?

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God does have a special call, a vocation (from the Latin word “vocare” – to call) in his mind and heart for each one of us, his dearly-beloved children.

This is a grace indeed – and our responding to it is also a grace – our response to God’s call. There are many Christian vocations, as you know – to the married life, to the single life in the world, to the priesthood and to the religious life. And within the latter group, there are many religious congregations. Our Order is among these, among the group that is called “monastic” – which signifies those whom God calls to serve him through the ministry of prayer. Other religious congregations serve God and his people in works of teaching, social assistance, education, missionary works, etc – and there is a need for each of these. But down through all the centuries of the Church’s existence, God has called some to serve him through lives of prayer and sacrifice, in a hidden yet very fruitful apostolate that reaches out to all the human family.

You ask about discernment. St Ignatius, founder of the Jesuits, gives very precise rules and questions to aid in distinguishing between the various spirits that can influence us. And in the matter of a life’s vocation, it is very important not to try to do this on our own, but to seek guidance from someone whom you know and trust – to help you with this distinguishing. In general, inspirations that spring from wanting to know God’s will for our life, and that move us to service, sacrifice in communion with the Church are to be trusted – also inspirations and considerations that bring us peace versus those that cause us disquiet and a sense of unease.

I suggest you talk over the matter of your vocation with someone in your parish – perhaps the pastor or someone he might recommend.  And I will keep you and your discernment very much in my prayer. God bless you – and may Jesus continue to shed his holy light on your path!