Listening to 'the call'

Monday, July 4, 2011

*Father Elvis Gonzalez - St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish

English Spanish

Many of you ask, what is a call? How does God call us? What should one do to listen to that call? Well, just as you do, I ask myself those same questions. Although sometimes we avoid it, sooner or later, these questions surprise us and demand an answer.

In today’s environment, when we speak about the “call,” we think God is going to ring us on the cell phone, to let us know His plans for us. Once, a priest preaching his Sunday homily exhorted the assembly to turn off their cellular phones before entering the church. As it happened, his own cellular phone rang during the homily. Obviously embarrassed, the priest calmly answered the call, hung up, and proceeded to tell his congregation: “It was a call from God.”

The reality is that this “call from God” does not occur by magic or technology. God’s “calling” is a seal that marks each and every one of us as His chosen daughters and sons; that “seal” marks us with the desire to be with Him. Every human being has a call to serve, a call to holiness, a call to be with God. A verse from Psalm 42 comes to mind: “Deep is calling unto deep…” (Psalm 42:7).

Now, there are many different forms in which the call to serve God may manifest itself: priesthood, religious life, matrimony, consecrated laity, among others. Personally, God has called me to serve as a diocesan priest, a formation process I am still undergoing.

When I was six years old, I told my mother that I was going to be a priest. She responded innocently, “When you grow up, you will fall in love and will forget about it.” The reality is that the “yes” I said then still lives in me today. It lives in me because I have freely accepted God’s call, and my yes to Him is an ongoing surrender. So then, how have I listened to God’s call? Simply by following the yearnings of my heart.

Throughout seven years of formation, God’s call continues to resonate in my deepest being. In moments when I can’t hear His voice, even then, I say yes! Each day that goes by, I realize that the “call” is like following a path that may feel exhausting and endless at times, but that stretches out into a welcoming horizon that assures me that I am on the right path.

God’s call requires a lot of discernment and prayer. One doesn’t make a decision in a hurry or when confused. We have to remember that any of God’s “calls” require a sense of responsibility, discernment, and surrender. Once you surrender to God’s call, try not to look back, but rather look to what lies ahead. Say yes! “… the rest will be given unto you by your heavenly Father” (Matt 6:33).

Do you hear God’s call? Listen to the yearnings of your heart. How are you responding to this call? Discern and pray. Don’t be in a hurry. Are you willing to surrender to follow Him? Your “yes” is yours to give.

Comments from readers

Olivia Anell - 07/08/2011 11:08 AM

Thank you, dear Elvis, for everything you do and say. I agree, we have to keep our minds and our hearts open for the Lord's call so that we an also say Yes, Yes, Yes!!

Lucia Llanso - 07/07/2011 12:18 PM

Dear Elvis, everything you expressed in your article is what we see in you every day when we work together, laugh together and most importantly pray together. I have been blessed to meet you and I hope in the future our paths will cross again. For me it would be something very special to keep you as Father Elvis in my life. God bless!!

John P Mc Laughlin - 07/05/2011 09:18 PM

We look forward to your ordination. You have a "calling" ....spread the word!!!. Each person who meets you is impressed. I hope you can become involved with visiting our High Schools....your gift needs to be shared. The Archdiocese of Miami needs more men like you.
God bless you Elvis.....

Catherine S. Hirsch - 07/04/2011 08:56 PM

Elvis your statement goes direactly to the heart of the lays who want to know the callings to the priesthood from our Lord especially in this present society of worldliness materialism
totally absent from Love of God and neighbor-absent from Matthew 5;3. God bless all our
Seminarians who are truly the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World.

vilma white - 07/04/2011 02:57 PM

Gracias, Elvis, por este mensaje sobre el llamado de Dios y del si que una/o le da libremente al Se�or para servirle. Cuando yo tuve mi encuentro personal con El sent� que queria servirle, pero no sab�a como y donde con mucha oracion y disernimiento comprendi que El me queria sirviendo en mi parroquia, tambien entend� que era un compromiso y una responsabilidad, no un hoy si puedo y ma�ana quien sabe.
Dios te siga llenando de su amor y luz y te colme de bendiciones!
Con amor en Cristojesus tu hermana ...Vilma

Yelmy Sol Canton - 07/04/2011 02:27 PM

Gracias a nuestro seminarista Elvis por contarnos tus experiencias acerca del "llamado" de Dios
que como tu dices nos los hace a todos en diferentes ambientes y servicios, lo importante es identificarlo en lo m�s profundo de nuestro coraz�n y darse su tiempo para con calma dejar que se vaya apoderando de todo nuestro ser y despues dejarlo actuar con toda libertad

Lolita - 07/04/2011 12:59 PM

God calls us every second, through our brothers and sisters, we are His hands, feet and his voice. He just wants us to say Yes every time he needs us to do somenthing even as little as saying THANK YOU , I LOVE YOU or a WARM HUG.

Thank you Elvis!

Yadira Restrepo - 07/04/2011 11:36 AM

Muchas gracias al seminarista Elvis por ste articulo que nos muestra como estar atentos a la llamada del Se�or; que nuestras vidas todas tienen ese llamado donde Dios debe ser el centro donde gira nuestra vida. Tengo el gusto de conocer personalmente a Elvis ya que soy feligres de la parroquia de Santa Catalina de Siena donde el esta sirviendo y me alegra mucho poder compartir este transcurrir de su vida como seminarista donde esta entregando sus conocimentos y amor a la comunidad. Como madre y como laica tambien he sentido ese llamado de ser luz y sal de esta tierra ir llevando su palabra de vida a todo lugar y solo asi mi vida ha encontrado el verdadero sentido de vivir para Cristo y por Cristo en mis hermanos. Bendiciones!!

Olivia Anell - 07/08/2011 11:08 AM: Thank you, dear Elvis, for everything you do and say. I agree, we have to keep our minds and our hearts open for the Lord's call so that we an also say Yes, Yes, Yes!!

Lucia Llanso - 07/07/2011 12:18 PM: Dear Elvis, everything you expressed in your article is what we see in you every day when we work together, laugh together and most importantly pray together. I have been blessed to meet you and I hope in the future our paths will cross again. For me it would be something very special to keep you as Father Elvis in my life. God bless!!

John P Mc Laughlin - 07/05/2011 09:18 PM: We look forward to your ordination. You have a "calling" ....spread the word!!!. Each person who meets you is impressed. I hope you can become involved with visiting our High Schools....your gift needs to be shared. The Archdiocese of Miami needs more men like you.
God bless you Elvis.....

Catherine S. Hirsch - 07/04/2011 08:56 PM: Elvis your statement goes direactly to the heart of the lays who want to know the callings to the priesthood from our Lord especially in this present society of worldliness materialism
totally absent from Love of God and neighbor-absent from Matthew 5;3. God bless all our
Seminarians who are truly the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World.

vilma white - 07/04/2011 02:57 PM: Gracias, Elvis, por este mensaje sobre el llamado de Dios y del si que una/o le da libremente al Se�or para servirle. Cuando yo tuve mi encuentro personal con El sent� que queria servirle, pero no sab�a como y donde con mucha oracion y disernimiento comprendi que El me queria sirviendo en mi parroquia, tambien entend� que era un compromiso y una responsabilidad, no un hoy si puedo y ma�ana quien sabe.
Dios te siga llenando de su amor y luz y te colme de bendiciones!
Con amor en Cristojesus tu hermana ...Vilma

Yelmy Sol Canton - 07/04/2011 02:27 PM: Gracias a nuestro seminarista Elvis por contarnos tus experiencias acerca del "llamado" de Dios
que como tu dices nos los hace a todos en diferentes ambientes y servicios, lo importante es identificarlo en lo m�s profundo de nuestro coraz�n y darse su tiempo para con calma dejar que se vaya apoderando de todo nuestro ser y despues dejarlo actuar con toda libertad

Lolita - 07/04/2011 12:59 PM: God calls us every second, through our brothers and sisters, we are His hands, feet and his voice. He just wants us to say Yes every time he needs us to do somenthing even as little as saying THANK YOU , I LOVE YOU or a WARM HUG.

Thank you Elvis!

Yadira Restrepo - 07/04/2011 11:36 AM: Muchas gracias al seminarista Elvis por ste articulo que nos muestra como estar atentos a la llamada del Se�or; que nuestras vidas todas tienen ese llamado donde Dios debe ser el centro donde gira nuestra vida. Tengo el gusto de conocer personalmente a Elvis ya que soy feligres de la parroquia de Santa Catalina de Siena donde el esta sirviendo y me alegra mucho poder compartir este transcurrir de su vida como seminarista donde esta entregando sus conocimentos y amor a la comunidad. Como madre y como laica tambien he sentido ese llamado de ser luz y sal de esta tierra ir llevando su palabra de vida a todo lugar y solo asi mi vida ha encontrado el verdadero sentido de vivir para Cristo y por Cristo en mis hermanos. Bendiciones!!