Life seems unfair. Multitudes of people die daily from senseless violence, hunger, addictions etc. Well educated politicians seem unable to work toward real solutions; instead, we often see them belittling one another by presenting one another as liars or whatever else seems expedient in order to ruin opponent’s pubic integrity.
All this turmoil makes a person ask: does God really exist? Is our Catholic faith just a philosophy, a way of life to give the uneducated some hope? On the other hand, we get glimpses of heroic individuals who stand up for what is right.
Naturally many know about Oscar Romero or Martin Luther King, but few ever heard of, for example, Frans van der Lugt or Kenji Gottowho who gave their lives in 2015 alongside a multitude of unknown Christians who found themselves on the “wrong side of the fence.”
Matter of fact, according to Vatican sources, about one hundred Christians freely give their life each year for a particular cause, while many sources claim that on average about 100.000 Christians are murdered annually for the simple fact that they are Christian. What drives these persons to ignore death threats and choose to make an offering of self when faced with violent opposition to their often outspoken but peaceful endeavour?
Naturally, every martyr has a unique story of how God moulded their heart. Likewise, somehow, God continues to invite individuals like you and me to His Vineyard. It seems that God is not interested in persons who think that they are perfect or self-reliant for they will not be open to instruction.
No, God calls persons like Simon Peter who exclaims after the miraculous catch of fish “leave me Lord; I am a sinful Man”, whereupon Jesus says “Do not be afraid” (Lk5:8-10), likewise, Isaiah answers God “Here I am, send me” (Is 6:8), after God poses the question. Like contemporary martyrs, both Peter and Isaiah were likewise persecuted for their unequivocal fiat, for they were granted understanding beyond what is visible and scientific verifiable.
When we are able, by God’s grace, to see past all worldly turmoil, we in turn discover how God continues to call us in the silence of our heart, right here in the messiness of daily life. Day after day the Spirit, by our free approval, molds our hearts as we learn to look at the hidden driving forces behind our visible existence, past the daily glitter and drama.
Naturally, every vocation has its own unique story; however, there is one commonality to all true callings into the mystical life of God’s Vineyard, that is, that those called intrinsically understand that they are broken individuals who are far from perfect and are willing to be taught by the Holy Spirit in the silence of their heart. New vocations are born as God continually invites individuals in the non-observable silence of their hearts. Each of these new vocations will say in chorus with a multitude of witnesses who over the centuries have gone before them something like: Yes Lord, use me according to your desire for the greater glory of your kingdom.