Welcome to the final installment of our discernment series!
In our first two posts, we considered how faith, morals, values, and vocations inform our discernment as well as some practical steps we can take in the discernment process, such as prayer, free will, self-reflection, exploration, and gathering support from others. Today, we will take a closer look at vocations and vocational discernment.
A threefold cord
I mentioned briefly in Discernment: Covering your bases, that there are actually three levels to vocational discernment. We have our primary vocation to holiness; our secondary vocation, often called our “state in life”; and our third (tertiary) vocation to meaningful work and leisure. Each level offers us a sense of purpose and includes a different invitation and set of responsibilities.
A universal call
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, “the first vocation of the Christian is to follow Jesus” (2232). This means that no matter where we are in the discernment process, all of us have a primary vocation to holiness. Holiness can be a daunting word, as we often associate it with ideals and perfectionism, but the Bible presents the concept of holiness as being set apart. When it comes down to it, holiness simply means to be in right relationship with God and others – to be set apart from the world in the way we live our lives as followers of Jesus.
Sometimes, when we consider our vocation, it can be unclear which direction to take, leading to a poor sense of meaning and purpose in our lives. However, even when we have not settled into a secondary or tertiary vocation, we can be sure of our universal call to holiness. The vocation to holiness is God’s invitation for us to draw near to Him and to establish meaningful relationships with the people He has placed in our lives. Some responsibilities associated with this vocation include daily prayer, participation in the Sacraments, living a life of virtue and beatitude, and practicing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
The road goes ever on
Following Jesus often reveals a secondary vocation, which is our unique call to love others based on our state in life. This is the level that most people are familiar with and involves the priesthood, religious life, and marriage. Some people also include “singleness” as a secondary vocation, but the idea of a call to singleness is often difficult to differentiate from the universal call to holiness. While singleness is certainly a different state in life than being vowed (to another person, the Church, or Jesus [through a religious rule of life]), unavowed persons can defer to the responsibilities of their primary and tertiary vocations for direction when others might look to a spouse, their bishop, or a religious superior. This does NOT mean that being single is somehow inferior, defective, or incomplete. We still unite with Christ in our baptismal call to be priest, prophet, and king. The single life is full and fruitful; it simply looks to holiness, work, and meaningful leisure for structure.
So how do I know which one is right for me? This is where the guidance of our first two posts in this discernment series can be particularly helpful. Spend time in prayer and self-reflection. Where is God inviting you? What do faith, morals, values, and your current vocations offer you? Consider how your interests, desires, gifts, and goals match up with the priesthood, marriage, and religious life. Explore and gather support by talking to people you respect who are already in those vocations – family, friends, colleagues, etc. Read books about them (check out this link or the list below). Go on retreats designed to help you discern secondary vocations. Many dioceses and religious orders offer retreats specifically designed to help you learn more about the priesthood and religious life – talk to your diocese’s vocation director. And remember, just because you attend A Day in the Life (discernment retreat) with the Apostles of the Interior Life does not mean that you have to avow yourself to that community. God will never take away your free will to choose a secondary vocation. At the same time, He wants you to invite Him into that decision and to be attentive to His promptings in your heart.
Work hard, play hard
Lastly, everyone has a vocation to work and meaningful leisure. The book of Genesis reminds us of humanity’s duty to “cultivate and care” in the Garden of Eden (2:15). This responsibility persisted even after the Fall when God told Adam and Eve to work “by the sweat of your brow” (Gn 3:19) and “toil in childbearing” (Gn 3:16). Oftentimes our vocation to work is tied to our secondary vocation as we see from the different responsibilities God presents to Adam and Eve. Husbands have a unique duty to provide for their wives and children through the work they do in and out of the home. Similarly, wives have a responsibility to care for their husbands and children. Priests are called to the work of the Gospel and evangelization through the ministry they offer the Church. Vowed Religious also have a duty to preach the Gospel by serving the community according to the charisms of their order. Even if we are not bound to a secondary vocation, we must all find some meaningful work to do that helps us cultivate daily virtue.
Something that often gets overlooked in the busyness of modern life is the invitation to meaningful leisure. God offers us an example of leisure in the book of Genesis when He “rested from all the work He had done in creation” (2:3). As God, He certainly did not need to rest; however, He chose to offer us an example to demonstrate the importance of leisure. He later set that instruction into stone (literally) by commanding us to “remember the sabbath day [and] keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8), forbidding even children, slaves, animals, and foreigners from work. This is not simply a command to honor Sundays as a holy day set aside for church. Again, God gives us an example at the end of the sixth day of creation when scripture says, “God looked at everything He had made, and found it very good” (Genesis 1:31). Meaningful leisure is about taking time for rest, reflection, and prayer. It is also a time for us to engage in community, play, exploration, hobbies, etc. – anything set apart from work that helps remind us who we are and whose we are. Leisure is not an invitation to sloth, so it is not simply about mindless scrolling, binging TV shows, or “vegging out.” It is purposeful and intended for our good.
Discernment is a lifelong journey of self-discovery that God wants to be a part of. It can influence our daily actions and the more weighty vocational discernments of our lives. I pray this series has offered you some comfort and clarity wherever you are in your journey. If you are interested in other resources on discernment, check out our book recommendations below. Happy discerning!
Book Recommendations:
General Discernment
- Discernment Dos & Don’ts – Fr. George Elliott
- The Discernment of Spirits – Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV
- Discerning the Will of God – Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV
Marriage
- Good News About Sex & Marriage – Christopher West
- Men, Women, and the Mystery of Love – Dr. Edward Sri
- Three to Get Married – Archbishop Ven. Fulton Sheen
- For Better Forever – Dr. Greg & Lisa Popcak
Priesthood & Religious Life
- In Sinu Iesu – A Benedictine Monk
- To Save a Thousand Souls – Fr. Brett Brannen
- Discerning Religious Life – Mother Clare Matthiass, CFR
- “And You Are Christ’s”: The Charism of Virginity & the Celibate Life – Fr. Thomas Dubay, SM
Work & Leisure
- Leisure: The Basis of Culture – Josef Pieper
- The Fullness of Free Time – Conor Kelly
- Getting Work Right: Labor and Leisure in a Fragmented World – Michael Naughton
- Making a Life: Catholic Social Teaching and the Meaning of Work – Kate Ward
- If You Can Get It – Brendan Hodge
- Off Balance – Matthew Kelly