We are all reading pp. 150-156 in the
Reading and Reflection Guide (RRG) and sharing our thoughts using the "leave a comment" link below. When you are ready to submit your thought, please use the "Name / URL" field.
In our comments about this short essay, let's address the questions at the end of the reading:
- describe a connection and a distinction between vocation and ministry
- identify one to three issues concerning vocation and /or ministry that concern you at this time
- reflect on one of those issues and what avenues of action are open to you at the micro-, meso-, and macro- levels (personal, work, nation/globe)
Please review the previous blogpost for a rundown on our first meeting as "ZfM" (thanks for the acronym, Matt!): Our TR was very good, and the collect we drafted picks up just about every strand.
4 comments:
I am writing this in a google doc to copy and paste so that I will not make accidentally delete it when I try and post this time!
Ministry is the expression of one’s vocation. A person’s occupation, position, career, or source of income may not be obviously related to ministry or vocation at all times in a person’s life. I think that in whatever situation we find ourselves in, we can find our vocation by listening to God and then express it through ministry. For me, the asking is easy, but the listening is difficult.
I struggle with wanting to know the big picture, exactly how all the little pieces of the puzzle will fit together one day, and I feel very frustrated that I do not know. I find it hard to open myself to listen to the holy spirit and hard to trust God and to let go of my illusion of control. I often feel drawn or called to do something, and then I make assumptions about what its purpose is or what the outcome will be. Jonah knew that God had called him to speak to the people of Nineveh, and then he became furious when it didn’t turn out the way he expected. I can look back on my life and see this pattern repeating, times of anger and distrust, when I feel forgotten by God, interspersed with times of amazement and joy, when I realize that God never abandoned me, and delight at the way things did turn out. Still, it’s hard to let go of expectations.
Before this coronavirus thing hit, I was struggling with feelings that I need different challenges and new experiences. This was an unexpected consequence of the incredible healing that God has given me over the past few years. I often think of the question that Jesus asked the invalid (John Chapter 5), “Do you want to be made well?” I think for much of my life I was afraid of God’s healing and did not really want to be made well.
So many things are on hold right now for this pandemic, and for me, embarking on a change in occupation will have to wait a few months more, but I am thankful that God has given me meaningful work to do at home and from home, and I will try to let go of my angst about the bigger picture, and trust God to take care of it.
Thank you, Erica. I'm adding a note here to let people know that Christine's thoughts on Bonhoeffer, Part II, are also being posted today. I recommend that you take a look at what she wrote on that earlier blogpost.
• Vocation, I think is how one interacts with the world. Ministry is how one works with the world (meaning extra effort).
• I’m not sure what I am here to do other than try to be the best husband, father, brother, etc. As I’ve said before, I think that I am essentially a good person, but do I have it in me to put forth the effort to be a great person? It seems to me as if it is all about the effort put forth.
• I think that just the process of taking this course helps me to put into perspective my personal duties as a human being and a Christian
1. Vocation is whatever you’re doing to make a living or make a home at any particular time in your life. I don’t think of vocation as a calling unless you’ve always wanted to be or do something and never tried to do anything else. Ministry is being of service and can take many forms, but I think the hardest one is what Bonhoeffer listed first: listening attentively to others.
2. The biggest issue I wrestle with at this time of my life is: what am I supposed to do after I retire or should I even retire? Letting go of a comfortable level of income is scary. I can’t imagine what life will be like when I don’t have a regular M-F 9-5 job. I’m afraid of the lack of structure.
3. One avenue of action to calm my anxiety (one that Fr. Daron suggested in his new video series) is to pray the Psalter every day, morning and evening, using the Book of Common Prayer. That at least is a bit of consistent daily structure. On the meso level, I can talk to my friends, family and “framily” (friends who are like family) and gain some insight from those who have already retired and what they had to do to find meaning in their life. Globally, I can look at what others have done (e.g., Bill Gates, Jimmy Carter) to pivot to new chapters in their life.
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