PRAYER & DISCERNMENT
FATHER LAWRENCE LEW, O.P., FLICKR
LONG BEFORE they were canonized, saints were simply human beings trying to figure who they were and how they could best serve God. Saint Martin de Porres, depicted in the statue on the campus of Providence College, Rhode Island, had little education but became beloved for his healing powers and his compassion toward the poor.
Heaven help you in your discernment by
Father James Martin, S.J. is a Jesuit priest, author of numerous books and articles, and editor-atlarge of America magazine.
Father James Martin, S.J.
Though wildly different from one another, the saints became holy by knowing who they were and staying true to themselves. That’s just what you need to do as you discern your vocation.
T
HE MOST IMPORTANT spiritual insight I’ve learned since entering the Jesuits is that God calls each of us to be who we are. “For me to be a saint means for me to be myself,” said Thomas Merton. As a result, holiness consists of being true to the person God created. In other words, being holy means being your true self. And besides the life of Jesus of Nazareth, the best illustration of that can be found in the lives of the saints.
Excerpts from Becoming Who You Are, by James Martin, S.J. Copyright © 2006 by James Martin, S.J. Paulist Press, Inc., New York/Mahwah, N.J. Reprinted by permission of Paulist Press, Inc., www.paulistpress.com. 12 | VISION 2022 | VocationNetwork.org
