MAKANA’S HELPFUL HINTS
Today’s tip: Help young adults understand vocation as primarily a call to holiness and Christian maturity lived through single or married life, the priesthood, the diaconate or religious life.
“What does vocation mean?” Drawing upon the books of Genesis (1:27) and 1 John (4:8,16), the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “God who created man out of love also calls him to love — the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. For man is created in the image and likeness of God who is himself love.” (CCC 1604)
Thus, vocation is a call to love and as we all have different talents and gifts, we have different ways of loving!
Many discover and respond to this call during their young adulthood making vocational formation a must for young adults. Offer workshops and retreats that explore vocations with built-in opportunities for follow-up. Have priests, deacons, religious communities and married couples interact and share their stories with young adults. Start a vocations committee that stimulates discussions on vocations and calls out gifts and talents of others. Offer opportunities to volunteer locally. Create ways for our young people to learn that to live out your vocation is to grow into and learn how God made us to love.
Makana Aiona is the diocesan coordinator for Young Adult Ministry.