December 2013
Advent: A Season of Mission and Vocation

Advent is a time to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus Christ. It is both a remembrance of his coming to earth as a child, teacher and Savior, and a real preparation for our final meeting with Him at the end of our lives. The mission of Christ is summed up in our celebration of Advent. God becoming Man reminds us of what He wants to do for us, His mission of salvation. He desires to fill us with His grace in this life, and bring us to live with Him eternally.

God could have chosen any method He wanted for our salvation; but because the mysterious Love of God impelled Him to become a child, His plan required help. He did not require help because He was incapable; rather, He became incapable as an infant precisely because He wanted to require our help, to include humanity in His mission. He chose human parents so that our race could claim an active role in our own salvation!

God chose the Blessed Mother, Mary, and her husband, St. Joseph, to participate in His mission from the beginning. God had in mind the vocations which He wanted each of them to live from the moment of their conception. Their vocations were part of His mission, the sanctification and salvation of mankind.

St. Joseph took Mary into his home, protected her, found a safe place for the Birth of our Savior during the census journey, fled the country to escape Herod’s wrath, and relocated to Galilee to avoid Archelaus’ vengeance. St. Joseph, through all of this, was participating in the divine mission of salvation. Every day, as he worked hard to provide for his family, he was participating in the divine mission. By saying "yes" to God’s call and living his vocation, St. Joseph participated in the salvation of mankind.

The Blessed Mother said “let it be done to me” without regard for her reputation, gave birth in a stable, followed St. Joseph’s crazy dream telling them to flee to Egypt, and taught and cared for Jesus as he grew. She was living the vocation to which God had called her from the moment of her conception, and in a similar way to Joseph, also participated in the divine mission of salvation. She continued to say “yes” to her vocation as she was called to witness the unjust death her divine Son suffered for the sake of that same mission.

You too are called to participate in the divine mission. Living as a Christian is not only about your own personal salvation, but your sanctification is tied up with God’s mission, the sanctification and salvation of the whole world. You, like St. Joseph and the Blessed Mother, were created to take a specific part in the divine mission since the moment of your conception, and were called to it at your baptism. This call is your vocation.

A vocation is not simply about what we want to do or whom we would like to become; it’s also about figuring out how God intends to use us to carry out His mission in the world.

Your life is intertwined with the mission of Christ. He has given you an incredible purpose. You are to help Him bring about the salvation of all people! Take a few moments this Advent to reflect on God’s mission and how He may be calling you to participate in it.


Thank you for taking the time to consider your vocation. Be open with God, and He will bless you greatly!

If you would like to talk about your vocation, give me a call or send me an email.

Rev. J.D. Jaffe
Vocation Director
Catholic Diocese of Arlington
Office of Vocations
(703) 841-2514
vocations@arlingtondiocese.org
www.ArlingtonVocations.org

  
 



Share this