Where Have You Become Drowsy? Where Are You Walking in the Shadows?
Today marks my five year anniversary of becoming a professed Secular Franciscan (the third order of the Franciscans for lay men and women). I can remember back to my profession day and how much joy I felt embarking on this new life. Fast forward five years, like any vocation, it becomes challenging to live out this life faithfully every day. Some days I nail it and some days I don’t.
One of the things I like best about being a Secular Franciscan is that we are brothers and sisters of penance. That means we are always in the process of conversion to more closely imitating Jesus and going from Gospel to life and life to Gospel. We know we fall short of that constantly, but each day, we return to the Gospel, take it to heart, and try to live it out just like St. Francis did in our homes and workplaces.
We’re not just average Catholics; we’ve taken an additional step of commitment in professing to live the Gospel. That's what makes this life special and important.
This year, my reflection is what is keeping me from living this life more fully? What am I attached to? Where am I falling short in imitating Jesus? Where do I need the ongoing conversion that I professed to live? Where have I not heeded the call to go from Gospel to life and life to Gospel? What actions could I take to bring me closer to the vision of that vocation?
One of the answers to these questions came through my spiritual director the other day who laid out what my priorities should be in order: 1) God, 2) my husband, family, and vocation to marriage, 3) my Franciscan vocation, 4) work, and 5) everything else. I had been struggling with overwhelm with regard to everything God had called me to and where to put my focus.
I haven’t always ordered my life like this and it was one of those reminders that the first things come first - God and vocation, and the other things come after - work, activities, volunteering, and so forth. Our vocations, whatever life we’ve vowed to live before God, always come before the other things in our lives. The question is: Are we living that way each and every day?
As All Saints Day emerges this next week, perhaps these are thoughts to contemplate. Am I living the vocation(s) God has given to me fully? Am I prioritizing them as I should be? Remember, vocations are our path to sainthood!