VOCATION ANIMATION
Go; make disciples of all nations Mt 28:19.
Vocation is entering into a loving relationship with the Lord and consequently with each other. When we discover God’s love for us, we place ourselves in the school of Jesus, which teaches us to build the Kingdom of God. Vocation is an experience of being the Beloveds of God and called by God. “You are precious in my eyes. I love you” (Is 43:1-5).
This reminds us of God’s love for each one of us. It is important to keep in mind that it is God who takes the initiative to call us to this communion with Him. The above verses from the book of Isaiah refers us to the vocation of the prophet Isaiah, who recognizes God’s call and is aware that God calls him out of love. Like the prophet, we are invited to respond to that same call positively.
The discovery of a vocation takes place when I feel loved by God and love and appreciate my life story and as a result I find meaning for life. In this way, it is possible to open up a horizon of meaning for the realization of the mission that God entrusts to us. Through baptism, we are introduced into the great family of the Father and we courageously place ourselves on the path of Jesus to face the challenges that life offers us. In this sense, it makes us reflect that action also means love because a vocation without love is not a vocation. Vocation animation aims at presenting the attraction for the person of Lord Jesus and the beauty of the total gift of the self for the sake of the Gospel.
From the life of our revered Founder RFC Mascarenhas, we understand that he was someone who promoted vocations to the priesthood and to the consecrated life to a great extent. He involved himself in the society especially in the lives of young people of his parish. All the same he was someone who was guided by God and he was one in whom the action of God took its shape in the way he lived and acted. He was aware of the presence of the Spirit of a person’s vocation journey. He believed that vocation is a gift given by God and Our Blessed Mother Mary has a big role in the care and protection of one who responds to God’s call.
Our Pioneers and Early sisters walked on the footsteps of our Founder in the matter of promoting and nurturing vocations through their witness of life, active involvement in the mission especially that of pastoral apostolate, schools and hostels.
As per our XVI General Chapter Decree 8.1 – Vocation Animation is the significant mission of the Church and every baptized Christian is called to share in this mission of awakening in human hearts a quest for God and sharing His compassionate love.