Struggling Beauty
January 29, 2010 at 11:03 pm | In Lessons from Life | Leave a CommentThe recent earthquakes that devastated Haiti are a strong example of the tremendous struggles and suffering that people face, whether caused by acts of nature of acts of people. Some struggles are almost too atrocious to visualize or discuss, such as the horrors of the Holocaust, slavery, genocide taking place in different parts of the world right now, hate crimes, and other abuses of power. Gratefully, not everyone faces struggles like these, but everyone faces difficulties. In these dark nights, there is always some light of beauty.
The beauty comes, when we go beyond the limits we think we have. Sometimes the beauty comes in the call to arms, when our uncomfortableness propels us to make changes towards the vision of a new and brighter future. Sometimes it comes in faithful waiting, like the Jewish refugee who wrote an inscription on the wall outside Cologne, Germany during World War II that said:
“I believe in the sun, even when it’s not shining. I believe in love even when I’m alone. And I believe in God even when He’s silent.”
With the situation in Haiti, I was impressed with the amazing response of aid, thanks to improved technology that made donating money to the recovery effort so easy. This makes me wonder why so many people seem to wait for disaster in order to let their beauty shine. Imagine what we could do if we solved problems and responded to opportunities to meet needs and offer ministry as readily as we did in the hours and days after the earthquakes.
This is a quote by an unknown author:
“The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.”
May we have the courage to be beautiful in the times of difficulty, and may we have the wisdom to know when that courage asks us to patiently wait for change, and when that courage asks us to, in the words of Gandhi, “be the change [we] wish to see in the world.”
Ways of Knowing: Part 1
January 8, 2010 at 1:45 pm | In Part 1: God | 4 CommentsOne way that we can deepen our understanding of God is to practice particular spiritual disciplines that will make us more open and adept at responding well, when God reveals. Study is one such practice.
Romans 12:2 calls us to open ourselves to God by renewing our minds. The Gospel of John tells us that we will “know the truth” and this truth will free us (8:32). We study to deepen our understanding, to broaden our grasp of the truth, and to be transformed in the process. Part of studying involves gaining knowledge about the subject of interest, whether it is human relationships, science, or the nature of God. We do this by reading books, by observation, and taking notes, for example. The other part of studying has to do with gaining access to the subject of interest.
Part of my work at the community college involves helping students learn effective ways to study. What works for some students, such as making flash cards, recopying their notes after class, or studying at the same time each day, does not work for other students. Individual differences including personality differences and learning styles (such as whether a student learns more easily through visual, auditory, or tactile methods) lead to some of the diversity in what type of studying works best. There are some similarities regardless of the individual differences that I observed through the years. These are concentration, repetition, comprehension, connection, and contemplation.
Concentration means focusing the mind on what is being studied. My training in psychology has taught me that every second our minds are constantly sorting through thousands of stimuli to select the relatively few bits of information that we give our attention to. In this day and age it has become chic to multi-task and to stay busy. We listen to the news at the same time we check our e-mails, get a to-do list ready for the day, and drink a cup of coffee. We eat meals on the run and race from one appointment to the next all in the name of efficiency. Richard Foster (1978; Celebration of Discipline) writes that people have an amazing ability to concentrate but that doing so is somewhat counter-cultural. Concentrating involves not only intense observation and scrutiny but implies that we must be present to the subject matter. Concentrating means that we concentrate our whole beings on what we are studying. Concentrating leads to knowledge of and access to, the two goals of studying.
Repetition is also a crucial component of studying. Brother Lawrence, a lay monk in the 1600’s, said that he trained himself to continually behold the Lord by repeatedly turning his attention to God. Repeatedly being exposed to something results in learning. Repetition is necessary to develop new skills, retain information, and dissolve habitual thinking and behaving.
Although rote memorization is useful, unless we comprehend the material we cannot access it beyond its most superficial layers. We cannot be formed and transformed by the knowledge unless it becomes a part of us. Comprehension, then, plays a significant role in study. For me, comprehension has been a somewhat elusive and enigmatic goal. I have had the experience happen many times when suddenly the light bulb goes on and I understand the material, and subsequently the world, in a new way. Yet it is not something that I know how to control. As I mentioned earlier, sometimes presenting the material in a different format can spark comprehension. There is also an element of inspiration that enables me to comprehend in ways that I would not otherwise be able to. Many artists and scientist throughout history have spoken of an idea coming to them out of the blue, in a dream, or unexpectedly. Those times of illumination our beyond our control, yet they do come. On this matter, I believe that we can do our best to understand and trust that things will be revealed in God’s time.
Like comprehension, making connections is crucial to studying. If comprehension takes us beneath the surface, making connections allows the subject of our study to touch us in a variety of ways. Making connections means looking for ways that what you are studying is related to other things that you have studied or applicable to your life in some way. Ask yourself, how does this information relate to other things I have learned? How does this subject speak to my life? How might this information deepen my understanding or appreciation of God? For example, growing up, my father shared his passion for physics and cosmology with me. We would look at the stars or I would flip through pictures of distant planets or galaxies. Learning about the universe’s breathtaking beauty and mystery gave me more appreciation for the magnificence of creation and the Creator.
Contemplation is the last step of studying and is one of the most important particularly because it is so often overlooked. Contemplation involves reflecting on what we have learned and then simply resting. In contemplation we go beyond mental activity and rest. We offer not only what we have studied but the outcome of that study to God and trusting him, we rest in His presence. Giving up the outcome of studying is a one that I have found to be personally difficult. In school, I liked to get top grades, and in life I like to see results. Yet ultimately everything is up to God. Although it is important to do our best to learn, to open ourselves to Gods will, and to understand all that we can, all that we do is fulfilled only by grace. Contemplation means affirming that it is God who sustains us. Paradoxically, by releasing what we have learned we allow ourselves to receive God’s blessing and give our consent to be accessed more fully by God.
What distinguishes studying as a spiritual discipline rather than how you or I might study for a test is that the former is undertaken to more accurately perceive reality and always for the purpose of deepening one’s relationship with God.
Is the role of church changing…again?
December 29, 2009 at 2:09 am | In Uncategorized | 1 CommentI had an opportunity to watch a dvd entitled Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years, produced for the A&E tv networks. This program shows the rise of Christianity from the time of Christ, through the early years when Christianity was considered to be a sect of Judism, faced controversies, was nearly wiped out, and eventually gained great power, such as during the rule of Constantine. The program shows that the survival and growth of Christianity to its place as a dominant world religion is miraculous.
Christianity began as a movement around the charismatic Jesus who was a threat to the social order of the time. It evolved into a separate religion complete with sacred texts, sacraments, and new perspectives on God, the role of human kind, and life after death (and yes, I know that within Christianity there is a lot of diversity on all of these subjects). Christianity began with Jesus, who was executed publically as a Roman criminal because of the threats he posed to Roman power and the status quo. Three centuries later, he is hailed as the Son of God and Christianity is adopted as the official religion of the Roman Empire.
Just as Christianity has evolved, so too the role of the church has changed. In the early days, there wasn’t an institutional church…just indviduals who were taken with Christ and who met in gatherings, most likely house churches, from time to time. During the time when Christians were persecuted by Rome, Christians had to meet in secret. In some parts of the world, they still have to meet in secret. Once Rome embraced Christianity, the ruler of the Christian church became uber powerful. Christian orthodoxy and practices evolved and, more recently, new denominations started to develop, such as those from the reformation and restoration. The model of church that evolved was one in which the church was the center of the town and the center of life activities, the community gathering place, the place for sacraments and celebrations of life transitions, and so forth. But in the modern world, with the advances of technology and the resulting globalization, people are no longer part of a single geographic community. They’re part of many communities. I wonder if perhaps the role of church needs to be rethought. Instead of trying to get people to center their lives around church, maybe we need to rethink of church as wherever two or more are gathered, even if those two are not members of the same church tribe.
Snow, Glorious Snow
December 19, 2009 at 2:08 pm | In Lessons from Life | Leave a CommentThe Weather Channel is reporting that up to 50 million people may be impacted by the winter storm blowing through the mid-atlantic region. This is a snow for the record books, with the heaviest snow still to come today. Already, the landscape has been transformed to wintry white. The diversity of buildings, grass, pavement, and sidewalks turned into a unified white. Snow storms like this are good for the spiritual life, provided one’s physical needs are met. For those who like to express their spirtuality actively, there are opportunities to help the needy. A congregation in my church in Washington, DC is a hypothermia shelter at night. Emergency workers step up to help. The guys and gals who work the salt trucks, plow the roads so that eventually, the rest of us will be able to dig out and get back to normalcy. For those who need a respite, the weather-forced closures and delays give a chance to slow, take a breath, and rest. There is something special about being someplace warm and cozy and not having to or really being able to get out for a bit. The pace of life slows and the hustle and bustle that typifies this time of year with Christmas fast-approaching takes a backseat. I’m sure that there are many people who are upset about travel delays and other weather-related inconvenience, but hopefully, we’ll be able to enjoy the beauty of nature and take the time to rest and be reminded that the world depends on God and not our efforts, so it is ok to take a day off every now and again.
Humor Part 1
December 8, 2009 at 10:24 pm | In Lessons from Life | 1 CommentHealth practitioners have begun to recognize the value of humor as a boon to health. Humor is not just good for the mind and body, it is good for the soul too.
In Julia Cameron’s book, God is No Laughing Matter, a case is made for the importance fo humor in having spiritual life. Cameron says that the natural world provides plenty of evidence that God approves of humor, citing “baboons, with their hilarious and bright red (rears)” as a perfect example of this.
The book continues:
The trick with God — just like with Blind Dates — is to suit up and show up. Who knows? God might turn out to be tall and handsome. Or blond and curvy. Someone you might really like. Somebody you can actually talk to and go salsa dancing with. Somebody who gets your jokes and likes the same terrible Japanese monster movies that you do.
The point is that until you try to meet God, you aren’t going to know.
On this note, I thought I’d share a little religious humor with you. These were printed on bulletins or found through internet searchers. Enjoy!
¨The ‘Over 60s Choir’ will be disbanded for the summer with the thanks of the entire church. ”
¨Thursday at 5:00 P.M. there will be a meeting of the Little Mothers Club. All wishing to become little mothers, please see the minister in his study. “
¨Don’t let worry kill you – let the Church help. Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 P.M. – prayer and medication to follow.”
¨Barbara C. remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and requests tapes of Pastor Jack’s sermons.”
¨Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children. ¨
“Tuesday at 4:00 P.M. there will be an ice cream social. All ladies giving milk, please come early.”
¨The senior choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir.”
¨Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.”
¨Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say “hell” to someone who doesn’t care much about you.”
¨The Associate Minister unveiled the church’s new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday: “I Upped My Pledge – Up Yours. ¨
“Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.”
“On Sunday, a special collection will be taken to defray the expenses of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something on the new carpet, please come forward and get a piece of paper at the end of the service.”
Community Thoughts
December 8, 2009 at 9:53 pm | In Lessons from Life | 2 CommentsWhat is community to you?
I have heard a lot of discussion lately about the importance of community. The church talks about community a lot. The college where I work talks about the importance of community and of learning communities. The university where I did my graduate studies keeps trying to create community experiences in the form of classrooms, residencies/conferences, an alumni magazine, etc. Anyone who has watched a football, hockey, soccer, or other team sport will easily spot the community of fans rooting for a chosen team. In psychology, there is this notion of group identity, which basically says that individuals classify themselves and others based on group membership, such that the identity of the group is part of their own identity. Community can be a wonderful thing, such as when people pitch in with each other to accomplish a task or share needed companionship. Communities can also be destructive, such as when group membership becomes more important than the individual (think gangs, hate crimes, discrimination, and more insidious manifestations such as city/state/country class stratifications).
Advances in technology have allowed communities to form without having to be in the same geographic location. One example of this is through blogging. There are many good ones on subjects as diverse as green living, to the latest film news. Blogs can be a waste of time and a distraction from ministry, but they can also be a wonderful way to both give and receive ministry. My father started a blog where he discusses things related to science and religion. He has a regular community of people that read his blog, and he reads their blogs. He tells me that he prayers for each of these people every day, and the comments they write help him to become aware of opportunities for ministry. If you regularly read or write a blog, I’d like to hear about it and how it nourishes your soul or allows you to minister (even if you do so covertly because the subject matter is non-religious).
Hospitality
November 22, 2009 at 2:24 pm | In Part 2: Christ | Leave a CommentNext week, many of us will get together with friends and/or family and celebrate Thanksgiving.
God extends his hospitality and his welcome to each of us. Cultivating a practice of hospitality means that we seek to remember to welcome and be hospitable to each other and to the Lord as He dwells with us, leads us, and commissions us to serve. God cares about our physical and spiritual needs. We by the grace of God, have the challenge and privilege of comforting and nourishing others, of inviting them to our table, saying, “Come. Receive comfort, healing, nourishment, and protection. You are welcome here.”
A friend and respected minister, Velma, embodies a gift of hospitality. The few times I have been privileged to come to her house I have witnessed and learned from her welcoming spirit. Velma’s hospitality takes the form of spiritual companionship, respect for others’ solitude, attention to detail, and genuine concern for individual welfare. She loves to entertain, to cook, to set a beautiful table, and to bring people together.
There are many other forms that hospitality can take. My mother has taught me hospitality in another way. My mom’s approach to hospitality has less to do with making sure that people are physically comfortable than with having a tremendous ability to accept people, love them, and cheer them on. The dozens of piano students who are welcomed into her music studio each week learn about hospitality before they ever learn Bach or Beethoven.
We can practice hospitality by being truly present to others, respecting other’s space, honoring individual differences, or inviting input from those whose voices are not being heard. Sometimes it requires some self-preparation to do this. For example, a friend might call me on the phone and really need to talk about something that happened. I am not doing either of us a favor if I end up pretending to listen because I am really preoccupied with something that happened during my day. Or, I am staying somewhere with a relative or friend that I am excited to have time with. She needs some solitude. Am I able to give her what she needs right then? Maybe my father wants to watch the latest science fiction movie and I would rather watch a mystery. Are there colleagues whose ideas and suggestions are frequently overlooked without consideration? How do I handle these and other situation in a way that affirms the needs and wishes of others without obliterating mine? I have learned that I have to make sure that I have have taken care of whatever I need to or are at least honest about whether I have. This way I can really listen to another’s heart, simply be physically present, or do whatever else is called for.
May you experience God’s hospitality this Thanksgiving and share it with those whom you celebrate with, whether they are in the same location or not.
Seeing
November 18, 2009 at 2:19 am | In Lessons from Life | Leave a CommentMy background is in science and psychology, and so when I first began to consider what it means to see, I naturally thought about how we, as human beings, physically see.
Our eyes work as capturing devices. Our eyes capture light and transform the light into a signal that is relayed to a specific part of the brain through the optic nerve. Then the brain puts the information together and figures out or perceives what your eyes sensed. This is similar to what happens to information from the ears, the nose, or the skin.
In order to physically see something you have to sense or capture the information, and you have to perceive, or make meaning out of, the information. Our brains are very good at interpreting information…this is a wonderful thing that has served human kind throughout our existence…For example, based on my experience, when I see a highway, I expect to see cars and trucks, NOT airplanes. That means that I would look for cars and trucks before crossing a road and that would make my chances of crossing the road safely much higher than if I didn’t know to interpret the highway this way.
Based on our experiences and culture, we may misinterpret what we see or come up with an alternative interpretation. Here are some classic optical illusion images to illustrate this.
What do you see? A duck? A rabbit? Something else? Both?
For the source of the photo, click here.
Most people think that it is the eyes that do all the seeing, but your eyes can’t see without your brain interpreting the material. And, there are other ways of seeing that don’t use your eyes very much, if at all. Remember at night when you dream…you see even though you eyes are not capturing light. Another type of sight is found in an alternate meaning of the word vision…this type of sight sees the possibilities that are not yet born…it sees the seeds in each moment that, if cared for, could grow into something life-giving and true. This vision is a combination of imagination and discernment…of the creative process. But this type of vision is also filtered through the lenses in our brain. Real sight is the full understanding of what is seen from the information that is taken in.
What is true with the optical illusions applies to how we interpret situations. It’s easy to make assumptions about things, and when we do that we don’t take into account information that might be important because we simply don’t know it. This is a source of prejudice…of pre-judging something.
Also, it’s very difficult to see something without in being inseparable from what it means to you or to me. In the United States, the symbol for “ok” formed by touching the thumb to the index finger is a positive sign, but in France, the same sign means “zero” or “worthless” and in Japan it is a request for small change. In Brazil it is an obscene gesture.
So how does this relate to our spiritual development? Consider the following, which is Jesus?
Option 1
As you may have guessed, the answer is that they are all Jesus and none of them are Jesus. The first is a classic image of Jesus. The second is a depiction of Jesus with black skin. The third is a historical rendering of what Jesus would most likely have looked like. And yet, no one I know of really knows what Jesus looked like/looks like. The point is that we may see and relate to God in different ways, we see each other differently, and we see the word differently, and we fight wars over worldview differences whether we use words, behavior, or guns as the weapons. How much better might things be if we understood the limitations of our own and every other view and didn’t mistake the map for the territory. May we be open to new insight and being new in sight as the Spirit leads.
Generosity
November 10, 2009 at 8:48 pm | In Part 2: Christ | Leave a CommentBeing generous gently loosens our grip on the money, things, and people we hold captive with our expectations, clamoring for security, and need to control. As our grip loosens and our heart opens, we find new freedom and new connection. Generosity opens our heart and affirms our connection to the Divine, to community, to humanity, and to all of creation.
Not too long ago, I came across a retelling of the story of the prodigal son by Henri Nouwen. In the book, Nouwen speaks to the story from the perspectives of the prodigal son, the elder son, and the father. Hearing the story anew from the perspective of the father opened my eyes to the significance of generosity and its link to sacrifice. The youngest son asks his father for his inheritance so that he can go into the world and make his fortune. The father responds by giving the son entirely what he asks for. He forsakes his own desires on behalf of his son. When the prodigal son returns after having squandered his inheritance, all he hopes for is that he will be allowed to be a servant in his father’s house. However, he is in for quite a surprise. His father’s generosity pours out in joy and celebration in seeing the son return. The father gives him a rich robe, places a valuable ring on his finger, and prepares a feast. His generosity spills forth to this younger son and to his elder son to whom he says, “All I have is yours.” The father does not reserve anything. He gives willingly, generously, and lovingly. The father not only gives what he has, he gives who he is to his sons. This is the image of a God, who longs to shower us with abundance and blessings. We are true to this image when we give generously.
The feast in the parable of the prodigal son is in some ways similar to a supper that Jesus took Matthew to as recorded in Matthew 9:9-13. Jesus met Matthew who was working as a tax collector. Tax collectors were despised by the people because they carried out financial oppression under the direction of the Roman government and often exploited the people. Yet Jesus took Matthew to a house for dinner and the story says that many other tax collectors and sinners joined them. The Pharisees did not like Jesus fraternizing with this type of crowd. When they asked him why he kept such company He said, “Go and learn what this means, ‘ I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13).
In the Gospel story, Jesus referred to His guests as being “sick;” their ailment came in the form of a lost place and meaning within the community. Jesus identified the outcasts of society, like Matthew, and invited them to fellowship with Him. With His actions, Jesus points us to an understanding of God as One who strives to bring all people into His generous embrace. This is the God who will go out and find the single sheep that has been lost from the fold. Jesus points us to God’s generosity and invites us to be open to having our hearts melt, to sacrificing our priorities and pride in favor of God’s generosity, and to extend this generosity to the rest of God’s children.
Shortly after I was born, I met two people who would become my godparents. Aunt Dot rescued me from the perils of a new mother who, with the best intentions, decided that the only way I’d be warm enough was to have my entire body wrapped in so many blankets that steam was practically coming off of me. Dot took me outside of the church and let me cool off. Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan have been some of the most cherished people in my life ever since then. I mention Dot and Dan because they are ordinary people with extraordinary generosity. Dot and Dan opened their home and their hearts to a number of families and especially children who needed a place where they could be loved and cared for. Dot’s Southern roots usually expressed themselves as a welcoming and hospitality that put people at ease and that made sure there was always plenty of food on the table. Dan, too, was committed to social justice and concerned about the real needs of people. Dot taught me how to cook for church family camps, taught me in Sunday school class, and took me to yard sales on Saturdays where we’d comb for treasures between 5 cents and a dollar. Dan would talk with me about history and how we could learn from our roots. He liked to play card games and board games. He helped me learn about finances and investing and in many ways became a second father for me. I had them on the equivalent of speed dial by the time I was two years old. They were good to my parents too, offering advice, encouragement, and free babysitting every once in awhile. They are the kind of people who just breathe generosity, goodness, and humility in offering what they can. I always felt that I was accepted for who I was and that I had a permanent place in their hearts and at their table.
Being generous mirrors God’s generosity towards us perfectly embodied in Jesus. We share Christ’s generosity when we give to those in need. This might be anything from making a contribution to the local food bank, supporting another type of charity, visiting with people in a retirement home, or taking toys to a children’s hospital. We could give our neighbor a ride to the auto shop to pick up his car or help a child raise funds to go to summer camp. Or if we have a particular talent for playing piano or handling money, being generous might mean offering free piano lessons to a child who could not otherwise afford to take them or helping a young adult learn about handling finances. It might also mean that after spending a lot of time at work or busy with other activities we make sure to spend quality time with our spouse or take our son or daughter to a movie. Generosity could also take the form of taking a co-worker who has been somewhat ostracized out to lunch or befriending someone in the community that does not have a lot of other friends. Living generously might require that regardless of how another person treats us, we reign in our natural impulses to escalate the conflict and instead act generously, choosing respect and compassion when we’d rather act with anger or spite. It means that we live with an open heart and open hands, stretching ourselves beyond what we thought we could offer. Friends, family, acquaintances and strangers give us many opportunities to act generously throughout the day.
Vocation
November 3, 2009 at 10:34 pm | In Part 3: Spirit | 2 CommentsIn today’s society vocation has become synonymous with career, occupation, and job. As a result, the richness of vocation that only the Spirit can bring has been forgotten. The Christian tradition upholds vocation as meaning much more than doing a particular task to earn a paycheck. A vocation is a call to something greater than the isolated self. Vocation is inextricably linked with following the call of the Holy Spirit to be what God has created that person to be. As Paul indicates in 1st Corinthians, there are a variety of gifts but their source is the Spirit, and there are many ways that people serve but all ways are meant to serve God (12:4-5). The heart of vocation is the discovery and expression of who we are, whose we are, and who are called to become.
To be called of God is to be given an invitation to become more fully who God has created us to be, usually by serving with God in a particular way. Calling not only challenges us to take up a mission, but is itself an act of revelation—both of who God is and who we are in relationship with God. The Bible gives us numerous examples of calling.
Jeremiah struggled to find the answers to questions like what God’s purposes were for his life. Through Jeremiah’s search for answers as recorded in scripture, we encounter a picture of God as one who forms us, calls us, and wants the best for us. God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (1:5). In God’s call, Jeremiah found his true identity as one who was intimately connected to God. Jeremiah discovered that his gifts were meant to help others respond to love, to know that God yearned for them (Jeremiah 31:2), and to know their identities as beloved children of God.
We can learn from Jeremiah that vocation is individual and communal in nature. It is in relationship with God and others that we become aware of our vocation, that we search for ways to express our callings, and that we serve others by answering our callings. In relationship we come to know ourselves as God’s beloved children and the vocation that arises out of that understanding.
The book of 1st Kings depicts God’s call in a different way. The sense of calling is initiated by a person and is confirmed by God. David dreamed of building a temple for God, but God did not consent (1 Kings 5:3). Although building the temple was an important and honorable task was not part of David’s vocation. On the other hand, Solomon, David’s son, asked to build a temple for God and this time, God said yes. Solomon worked for seven years on God’s temple (1 King 6:38). As a result of his faithfulness to this task God consecrates the temple (1 Kings 9:3). This is important because it reminds us that calling is a joint venture between human and divine. Like David, Solomon and others, we have the challenge of discerning what tasks are ours to carry out as we become aware of the Spirit’s presence and purpose in our lives.
Vocation involves the call of the Spirit beckoning us to approach God and our answer to that calling. The forms our vocations take may vary. Some people might have a vocation to teach, some to write, some to paint, some to carpentry, or some to business. Even within those particular callings, there may be a variety of forms through which a particular vocation can be expressed. For instance a kindergarten teacher, a college professor, a seminar leader, a tutor, a writer, a news reporter, or a physician may all be career paths that express the vocation to teach. Underlying these different expressions of calling is the one call that the Spirit addresses to everyone, to come and participate in the life of God by serving God wholly. Through that call the Spirit blesses us and seeks to transform the world with our help.
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