A vocation is all about love. A vocation is a life of love in
a concrete, particular form because love is always concrete
and particular. A vocation begins with Christ’s love for you.
In that love for you He is calling you to a particular form of
life. This love involves first His total gift of Himself to you,
and then in response, your total gift of yourself to Him.
After all, He tells us in the Gospel according to St. John,
“You did not choose me, but I chose you” (Jn 15: 16). His
choice for you is what makes a vocation different from an
“occupation” or a “career.” You can choose an occupation
or a career for yourself, but a vocation (from the Latin verb
vocare, “to call”) is HIS choice for you, and which He invites
you to undertake for love of Him. Often we are taught to
ask, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” or “What life
will I choose?” The better way to think is, “What does
Jesus want for me?” - “What life will bring Jesus the
greatest glory?” And ultimately to say, “I want what Jesus
wants.”
A vocation is the concrete life He has chosen for you, and
which has been specifically created for you. He is God and
therefore knows which life that will be the best way to bring
about your salvation, your happiness and His greatest
glory. His call will completely fulfill you as a man and a
father. A vocation means to be sent by Jesus on a mission
to help Him bring His salvation to the world, and so will call
for much love, heroism and sacrifice on your part. He loves
you and has chosen you. His love gives you the ability to
love Him in return. The key to discovering your vocation is
first to allow Jesus to show His tender love to you. This
love will make you capable of loving Him in return.