The Nature And Grace of Vocation

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llow me to share a reflection on vocation—a reality that is not reserved for the ordained and religious but belongs to us all.

Perhaps the greatest surprise about vocation is this: it does not begin with our "yes" to God. It begins with God's "yes" to us. As Pope Francis told seminarians and novices, "To become a priest or a religious is not primarily our choice; it is our answer to a calling, a calling of love."

This truth is beautifully expressed in God's words to the prophet Jeremiah: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you" (Jer 1:5).

These words introduce us to what theologians call our nature. Like a seed that already contains the tree within it, each of us carries within ourselves the vocation God has prepared. Jeremiah's vocation was not added later in life. It was already part of who God created him to be.

The same is true for us. Long before we recognized our vocation, God had already planted its seed within us. Religious formation, vows, or ordination do not create that vocation. They help confirm, shape and nurture it. Like a growing seed, it needs to mature over time. It also needs purification, for pride, fear, and self-interest can quietly distort, hinder or even destroy what God has begun. Only then can our "yes" become a truly free response.

That is why the profession of vows is such a joyful celebration. It is like a wedding. One extends the call in love, and the other freely responds in love. The bond is then publicly sealed.

The second element of vocation is freedom. A vocation is not simply about reaching a destination. It is about growing in relationship with God. Can you imagine walking that journey without freedom? Would you truly grow in love? Would such a relationship endure? Freedom is not optional. It is the very condition that makes love possible.

Here human beings differ from the rest of creation. A mango seedling has no choice but to become a mango tree. It simply follows the nature God has given it. Human beings, however, can embrace God's call, postpone it, resist it, or even reject it. Such freedom makes genuine love possible.

If God were to impose His will upon us, He would be acting against His own nature. God is a God of covenant and communion, never of coercion. He calls, waits, and patiently invites us to respond in freedom.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the perfect example. God's "yes" to Mary came first. He chose and prepared her by grace. Yet His plan still awaited her free response. At the Annunciation she answered, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word." God's plan was fulfilled not by force but through the free consent of a human heart.

The same is true for every vocation. God always takes the first step, but He never takes our step for us. As St Thomas Aquinas reminds us, "Grace does not destroy nature but perfects it." God does not bypass our freedom. He heals it, elevates it, and invites it into cooperation with His grace.

The third and final element is grace.

We began by recognizing that God first said "yes" to us. Whether we respond with "yes" or "no," His answer remains "yes." As St Paul writes, "He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion" (Phil 1:6).

The world of sports teaches us something similar. Serena Williams once said, "I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall." The higher the level of competition, the more often athletes lose. Yet perseverance, not a perfect record, becomes the mark of greatness.

The same is true in life. If you almost never fail, you may not be taking worthwhile risks. If you only do what you already do well, your success rate may be high. But your growth will be slow.

For St Paul true victory goes even deeper than that. He calls us beyond earthly desires to press on "toward the goal for the prize of God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:14, 19). He writes, "Whatever gains I had, I have come to regard as loss because of Christ." He even calls his greatest achievements "rubbish," if only he may gain Christ (Phil 3:7–8).

The culmination of every vocation is union with Christ. The greatest champions are those who remain with Him even at the foot of the Cross. Fears, weaknesses, and setbacks may remain. Yet the desire to press on "to know Christ, the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings" grows even stronger (Phil 3:10).

In the end, like St Paul, whatever talents or achievements we have, we count them as loss for the sake of Christ. True champions are not concerned with gaining worldly success but with gaining Christ. Their deepest joy is simply to belong to Christ, following Mary's example of total surrender and loving obedience.

Let us pray.

Mary, teach us to renew our "yes" to God each day. When we are joyful, keep us faithful. When we are weary, strengthen us with your Son's grace. Help us to echo your humble prayer: "Let it be done to me according to your word." Amen. Fr JM Manzano SJ