The following is an extract from a talk to the Mackay Men’s’ Dinner Club given by seminarian Ashwin Acharya, who is currently serving in Mackay.  The talk was on vocation.

There are a few things about “vocations” which I often name at the beginning of a talk.

Firstly, vocation is a call from God. But it is not the special privilege of Priests and Religious; these are not the only people who are “called by God.” Rather everyone is called – ultimately to sainthood – to serve God and neighbour in the world in some particular state in life. In the Catholic imagination, there are four states: Priestly Life, Religious Life, Married Life and Single Generous Life in Christ.

Secondly, God does not spam vocations at us like junk mail, neither does God fill out a vocation letter as from a digital template, then hit “ctrl + a” and send. No, God’s vocation to each person is absolutely unique and unequivocally personal. God writes the most profoundly tender and intimate of letters to you (and only you), and then hides it in the deepest depth of your heart. This is a little unsettling, perhaps, because it implies incredible responsibility: no one can respond to your vocation except you; if you don’t, no one else can and no one else will.

Thirdly, as we can see, discerning one’s vocation is not easy. But it is only more difficult in a busy, messy, mixed up time and place such as ours. It is the responsibility of all of us to cultivate a culture in which is it easy for people, especially young people, to discern their vocation, rather than one in which it is near impossible to do so. And the renewal of culture to this end is not an overnight task, but a long undertaking of tilling the soil, planting seeds, watering the ground and nurturing the young, green shoots as they sprout forth and slowly grow into whatever God is calling forth.

In this way, our seemingly small part in the work of vocations promotion is incredibly exciting, and God, I believe, will bless whatever small work we can commit to that undertaking.

The Mackay Men’s’ Dinner /club meets on the last Monday of the month 6.30pm for 7pm start at the Boomerang Hotel. Our guest speaker for September is Craig Doyle CEO Mackay Regional Council, October Bishop Michael McCarthy, November Mark Day CEO Mackay Sugar.  Visitors are always welcome.