MEANS OF KNOWING OUR VOCATION.
_1. Prayer._
ST. JAMES says: "If any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who
giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be
given to him."
This wisdom, according to Cornelius a Lapide, is the knowledge of our
last end and of the means of attaining it. Young people without
experience, and having yet to choose a state of life, have great need
of this wisdom. "All things whatsoever you shall in prayer, believing,
you shall receive."
Prayer is the divinely appointed means of obtaining grace. "Ask, and
you shall receive; that your joy may be full." "Know ye that the Lord
will hear your prayers, if you continue with perseverance." "Every one
that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that
knocketh, it shall be opened."
"Who is the man that can understand his own way?" God alone knows both
the obstacles and the helps that you are to meet in your way. Cry out,
then, with the Royal prophet: "Make the way known to me, wherein I
should walk; for I have lifted up my soul to Thee."
St. Liguori says: "We should pray earnestly to God to make known to us
His will, whatever may be the state He has in store for us. Do not
fail to recommend yourself in a special manner to our holy Mother, the
Blessed Virgin Mary, beseeching her to obtain for you the grace
perfectly to fulfil the will of her divine Son."
"In all your doubts and anxieties," says St. Bernard, "think of Mary,
call upon her name."
_2. Freedom from Sin._
When mortal sin reigns in the soul, it acts like a dark cloud veiling
from us the light of heaven: "For wisdom will not enter into a
malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sins." "Your iniquities
have divided between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face
from you." "The way of the wicked is darksome; they know not her into
the wilderness, and I will speak to where they fall."
God loves to communicate Himself to those whose hearts are free from
the defilements of sin. "Blessed are the clean of heart; for they
shall see God." "The clean of heart" shall see God, not only in
heaven, but even in this life; they shall see Him in His works and
recognize His providence in all His designs: "To them that love God,
all things work together unto good."
Hence he who wishes to ascertain the state of life which he should
embrace ought to keep himself constantly in the friendship of God:
"Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you."
_3. Humility._
"Every proud man is an abomination to the Lord." "God resisteth the
proud, and giveth grace to the humble." "The prayer of him that
humbleth himself shall pierce the clouds; and he will not depart till
the Most High behold."
_4. Retreat._
God loves to communicate His choicest favors in the silence of
retreat: "I will lead her into the wilderness and I will speak to her
heart."
If you cannot make a regular retreat, at least avoid all dissipation
of mind; retire into the solitude of your heart, after the example of
St. Catharine of Siena and other saints, always remembering that God
is near you and that He wishes to speak to your heart.
_5. Counsel._
"My son, do thou nothing without counsel, and thou shalt not repent
when thou hast done."
Your best adviser is your confessor. Through his own vocation he
receives special helps from God.
To know and to do God's will in the choice of a state of life is a
grace which parents should earnestly invoke upon their children even
from infancy; and it is important that the children themselves,
especially from the time of their First Communion, should daily ask of
God the grace to know their vocation.
For this purpose they would do well to say daily three Hail Marys, or
the following beautiful prayer of St. Bernard, which might be
appropriately said in common; for "where two or three are gathered
together in My name, there am I in the midst of them."
_Prayer of St. Bernard._
Remember, O most pious and compassionate Virgin Mary, that from all
ages it is unheard of, that any one was forsaken who, placing himself
under thy maternal protection, implored thy assistance and begged the
favor of thy prayers. Animated with the confidence which this
inspires, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins and Mother of my God, and
in the bitterness of my sorrow I throw myself at thy feet. O Mother of
the Eternal Word, despise not my humble supplication, but listen
graciously, and mercifully grant me the request which from my heart I
make to thee. Amen.
An indulgence of three hundred days.
PRINTED BY BENZIGER BROTHERS, NEW YORK.