If we agree that vocation is God’s call in our lives, then we need to discern – or establish – the nature of His call. The prime way to go about this is to listen to what God is saying to us.
Throughout the history of humanity God has spoken to people – often in the most unexpected ways to a very diverse range of people. God continues to talk to people; but not always in the ways we might expect. We need to listen for God’s call above the competing noise of today’s world. Our lives are often very noisy – competing interests, distractions and the allure or intrigue of other people and events. To hear God we need silence.
During his visit to England in September 2010 Pope Benedict XVI said:
“even amongst the busyness and stress of our daily lives we need to make space for silence, because it is in silence that we find God, and in silence that we discover our true self. And in discovering our true self, we discover the particular vocation which God has given us.”
Westminster Cathedral, 18 September 2010