We had a visiting priest at our parish this past Sunday, a passionate and dynamic speaker with a passion for the priesthood.
At one point during his homily, just when the boys' attention was beginning to wander, he smacked the pulpit with his open palm and shouted into the microphone, "Young men! I am speaking to you! God is calling you to the priesthood! His Church is crying out for you! You are called to be priests!"
My own young sons sat up a bit straighter, their attention focused completely on the pulpit. He went on to speak of the satisfaction and wonder of being a priest. He was selling it to both the boys in the pews and their parents.
"You are called to be priests!" His call was still in our ears as we walked to our car. I put my arm around my 10 year old and gave him a squeeze.
"So, you've been called." I said casually (or not.) "Are you going to answer the call?"
"I think I will," he responded, "but I was called a long time ago." He thought for a moment and smiled at me. "Father was funny this morning yelling about it from the pulpit. He called us by yelling. When God calls you, He whispers."
13 comments:
I <3 BWF. :)
Alright Anon, obviously you know us. Who are you in real life?
The joy in my heart reading this! I can only hope my boy has that kind of beautiful insight!
That gave me chills! Beautiful!
Oh my goodness... :)
*happy smile*
*light bulb* I just got a reason that there's a shortage of celibate religious....
Imagine you have only one child.
If the child makes X choice, they will never have children. YOU will never have grandchildren. If both parents are only children, there will be no great-grandchildren, nieces or nephews.
I really wonder if the shortage showed up about the time birth rates went way down.....
Foxy, That's exactly what happened. This priest said the #1 obstacle to young men who have a vocation is their mother who says "I have a right to grandchildren." We personally know one new priest who left the seminary 3 times because of his mother's tears. He's an only child (by choice) and she wanted grandbabies. If people had more sons, there would be be more priests.
First off, WOOHOO! Second of all, AMEN on the "only child" issue.
Of course, my priest is an only child (late in life) and a convert to boot. Count myself lucky. :-)
But between you and me, we're working on solving this whole boy child shortage thing, aren't we?
;-)
WOW. That's super-young for discernment of a vocation. Your family is amazing. (Has he thought about where he'd like to go? I know my BIL packed up and left his family at 18 - yes, his mom cried and cried - and did college and seminary and everything at the monastery where he now is. He knew he was called since childhood - it's been 22 years and he's never looked back. And his mom is SO PROUD.)
That's gotta make yor Day!
How very like Elijah, and true.
I was in fifth grade when I knew with certainty what my vocation was: fatherhood without question.
May your son continue to listen to the small, still voice.
oh my gosh, I love this...
and I LOVE your blog!
Fantastic!
I agree about the shortage thing due to mum's out there who lack courage to let go and let God. How blessed to be a grandmother, yes, but how more blessed to be a mother of a Priest! How selfish of mothers to think their children belong to them at all! Our own lives don't belong to us . . . so, if we are raising them Catholic 'cos we are Catholic, how dare we w/hold their service for God? How dare we!
I absolutely love this post.
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