July 16, 2010
A Class on Vocations
The Eucharist: The best school in which to learn about our faith
By FATHER ALEX ZENTHOEFER (Vocation Director)
There is a saying in the history of the Church: lex orandi, lex credendi. Literally, the law of prayer, the law of belief. It’s a maxim that suggests that the way we pray reflects what we believe. If the Eucharist is the greatest prayer of the Church, the source and summit of our faith, then it also the best school in which to learn about our faith.
Of course, there are a lot of courses we could take at this school of the Eucharist, from Holiness 101 to the more ad-vanced courses, like Steward-ship 316, but I want to focus your attention on what we can learn about Vocations during our liturgical celebration.
Before the first note rings out from the keys of the piano or the pipes of the organ; before a single announcement is made about what’s happening this week in the life of the parish; even before the first pious parishioner enters to occupy their personal pew, we are somehow summoned to the Eucharist. For some it is a call to prayer that is as regular as the automated church bells, while for others it takes on a more aggressive tone in the voice of a parent piercing the bedroom door. In whatever form it comes, this call to celebrate the Eucharist should remind us that before we even begin to consider what our vocation might be, we have already been called.
The vocation that will later take form in baptism, confirmation and a committed life as a priest, religious, married or single person has already begun from the moment of our conception. We have been called to life. This is our fundamental vocation and it is common to us all. The fact that we exist means that we are made for something. It also means that our vocation does not begin when we start thinking about what we want to do with the rest of our lives, but it begins when we begin life. This is the first lesson in this course on vocations: life itself is a vocation that is meant for a greater purpose. One important way of discerning our vocation is being attentive to what is happening in our lives.
The Eucharist reflects this fact by inviting us at the very beginning of our worship to consider what we have been up to. We are called to ask for God’s mercy. This is not merely a time to ask for forgiveness of sins, but it is a time to ask for mercy. Mercy is not just the removal of sin, but it is the promise of a Companion who walks with us to guide us to the truth of ourselves and God. Mercy is an essential part of every vocation because it teaches us that that we cannot do this by ourselves nor are we being asked to. Mercy helps us to not give up on living our vocation well, even in the face of our own fragility.
The prayer we often refer to as the Opening Prayer also goes by the name Collect. It is intended to bring focus to what we have already done in the first few minutes of our Eucharistic celebration and prepare for what is to come. I would suggest that for all of us who are living our vocation or discerning a vocation, every morning should begin with some sort of Collect that gives a nod to where we have come from and focuses us on what the day ahead may hold. Too often we don’t collect ourselves before the day begins and we treat reality like a bull in a china shop — just getting through the day as fast as we can. The challenge to be attentive at the beginning of the day comes with the reward of a more meaningful existence.
The Liturgy of the Word follows and provides at least two important lessons in this class on vocations. First, we listen . . . or, at least, we should be listening. It is not something our culture does well but it is an essential element of both the Liturgy of the Word and every vocation. Listening isn’t just about hearing — we hear a lot of things — listening is about hearing with awareness: awareness of our own needs and our own situation. Secondly, the proclamation of Sacred Scripture reminds us that we are not alone. We are not the first to try and live our faith well and we will not be the last. Our unique role in the history of the Church is played out now, but we draw encouragement and support by hearing about those who have gone before us and, in the midst of their own struggles, have lived the faith well.
The Creed and the Prayers of the Faithful close out the Liturgy of the Word and both have something to say on vocations. First, before we know what to ask for we have to affirm what we believe. If we do not know where we are going, how can we possibly know what we need to pack? The Creed that we so often say with some mechanics is meant to be a re-dedication of ourselves to the faith of our baptism, in which we were called to holiness. Think about these words the next time you recite them and consider whether or not they have anything to suggest about how you are to be a parent or a priest or a religious or a single person dedicated to the life of the Church. Maybe if you listen closely enough you will find something truly urgent and necessary to pray for in the Prayers of the Faithful. The petitions that we offer are an opportunity to recognize that there’s no way we can do this by ourselves. And I suspect this is just the way God has designed it.
The Offertory (and here I mean specifically the presentation of the bread and wine which begins the Liturgy of the Eucharist) is a decisive moment with regard to understanding vocations. Offering is at the core of any vocation. If I were in a classroom I would write this on the board and tell you to underline it in your textbooks: this is not an offering in vain, it is meant for a purpose. What we offer becomes something more. We say together: “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of His name for our good and the good of all His Church.” Our offering is for something. It is an offering for us, because it is in giving that we receive. It is an offering for the Church, because we are part of a living body that grows with the proper functioning of each part.
The Eucharistic Prayer itself could be a class unto itself, but let me just highlight two aspects of the prayer that are particularly significant for vocations. First, the institution narrative that is said by the priest when holding the bread and, later, the cup are rich with opportunity. As a priest, this is the moment when I renew the promises I made at my ordination. As married couples, this is an opportunity for you to be reminded of what it means to give yourself to your spouse: “This is my body, which will be given up for you.” The same renewal of commitment holds true for those who live the religious life and those who are single. But let’s not allow this to simply become a mental exercise where we just think in our heads that we are renewing our commitment to our vocation. These words must be lived in our flesh in daily life; otherwise it is just a pious thought that doesn’t change the way we live.
The second point of interest in the Eucharistic Prayer is not related to content, but method. There is a dynamism that occurs here as the priest speaks and the people respond. This mirrors the dialogue as the Church speaks in the person of the priest and God responds by becoming present in the Euch-arist. Every vocation is a dialogue, otherwise it would not be a vocation, it would be an idea. We respond to the call of God. The “vocation crisis” that we face today is not a lack of God calling, it is a lack of our ability to listen and respond.
The act of Communion and the Sending Forth Rite are closely intertwined. We receive the gift of the Presence of Christ in order to become one with Him. We could say that the goal of every vocation is unity with God. Everything leads to this moment. Our pleas for mercy, the proclamation of Scripture, the renewal of our faith all lead us to greater unity with God. Here on earth it means that we look for the presence of God in our midst and in heaven it means a unity far greater than we could ever imagine. The only way we can face all the challenges and obstacles that our vocation necessarily brings is to trust in this promise of unity with the Infinite God.
With the certainty of God’s loving presence, we are sent out to be bearers of this Mystery and to witness to what we have seen and heard. A call from God implies a response, even if it is apathy. An invitation is extended to us to participate in something beautiful, something that is well beyond our capacity, but made possible by God’s grace. How will we respond when we are told, “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord?” It’s not just a phrase to clear out the church. It’s an invitation to a meaningful life.