Vocation

In merriam Webster's online dictionary, it's described thus:

1 a : a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action; especially : a divine call to the religious life b : an entry into the priesthood or a religious order
2 a : the work in which a person is employed : occupation b : the persons engaged in a particular occupation
3 : the special function of an individual or group

A Catholic apologist and blogger I follow has this short post with a video that I highly recommend. It's worth the 5 minutes to read and see:

The Beauty of Priesthood

It's no secret, I'm no Catholic. To watch that video, however, stirs up great emotion in the deepest parts of my soul. The musical accompaniment, the grandeur of the cathedral, dress and the ceremony involved is beautiful in and of itself, but it becomes a blur in the periphery with the declaration made “May God, who has begun this good work in you, now bring it to fulfillment.” This truly speaks aloud the very definition of vocation.

This wellspring of emotion I found in seeing the clip is not new to me, however. The day I participated in my baptism, the first time I served in my church, these moments and others brought me to a very special place where the spiritual and physical worlds converge - a moment where God stirred my soul. I was doing what God called me to do.

Sure, I'll admit I'm waxing poetic. I'm not even sure where I'm going with this, except to say that I wish i could share with the world that enormous joy and satisfaction you experience in your soul when you serve God. To know you have been reconciled to God and that the highest and only being to ever transcend existence cares about YOU and might actually be please by your deeds... well, that is life at it's fullest. To watch those men being ordained as priests is better than analogous to that feeling. It's witnessing it.

Revelation 1:6
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Much needed correction

It was brought to my attention that I made an error in my wording in a prior post.

When your child is dying and you can do nothing about it...

In the paragraph that starts "Some clarifications...", 3rd one down, I said my wife and I condone the murder of Dr. Tiller. I was, most definitely, mistaking the word condone. We do not approve, applaud, or take pleasure of any kind in his murder. The post has been corrected - forgive me or any misunderstanding.