Tuesday - 7th Week of Easter 2017 - No vacation from vocation (school mass)

Last week, I was able to visit several of the academy classrooms, and we discussed one of my favorite topics: vocations.

In the Gospel today, Jesus talks about his vocation, his calling. He was called by his Father, to reveal the love of God and the truth of God on earth; Jesus was called to glorify His Father by accomplishing the work that the Father gave Him: to save us from our sins.

It shouldn’t surprise you to hear, that we have received the same calling from God; our calling, our vocation is glorify God by doing the work God has given us. That is true for every single person in this church, Catholic or non-Catholic, young or old.

We glorify God by doing the work he gave us to do. Throughout the school year, your work has been to learn, to pray—as our academy motto puts it: To inspire, to excel, to serve, in the Catholic tradition.

How have you done? Have you studied as hard as you should have? Have you prayed as devoutly as you should have? Do you inspire your classmates to be better Christians? Do you inspire your fellow parishioners? Did you excel in the tasks you were given? Did your heart grow by serving others?

Jesus was always faithful to the calling he received from the Father. Us, on the other hand, not always as faithful as we should be. Sometimes the call comes and we ignore it, sometimes we are so distracted by vain pursuits, selfishness, and arrogance, that we don’t even hear the call. Some of us hear the call, initially answer it, but hang up on God, finding sustained faithfulness too difficult.
But on the other hand, Jesus is glorified when we are faithful to the call we have received. And Jesus has been glorified in many of your good works, this school year, the times that you put being a follower of Jesus more important than anything else.

As the school year ends, and summer vocation looms near, we recall, once again, that there is no vacation from vocation. You have been called to glorify God, and we don’t simply take a vacation from that. Every single person in this church has a vocation: to pray daily, to obey the commandments, to attend Church weekly, to make your families places where Jesus is welcomed and celebrated, to forgive your enemies, and serve the needy.

This is true whether you are Catholic or non-Catholic, returning to the Academy next year, or going on to another destination. There is no vacation from vocation God has given us, to glorify Him through lives of faithfulness to his Divine Will for the glory of God and salvation of souls.