Annunciations

A famous Dominican called Fr. Vladimir Koudelka  said many years ago that, “Every Crisis in our life is a sign that something new wants to arise for us.” He was aware as a religious who lived his life in a community that we don’t like change, we definitely don’t like crisis, but we cannot avoid them. Every crisis or trail we may be going through at this moment he said must be looked on as a new birth, the beginning of a new episode in our life. All our trails are purifications, they all shape us and can even break us, and sometimes they seem to last forever.

Our vocation whether it is a priest, religious, a mother, father, married or single, whatever we are, our vocation is never complete and finished. I can remember taking my solemn profession (vows) for life, and thinking, sure that’s it now, I am a Dominican for Life, all looked after, no more to learn, but !!  Its not the way, the vocation is never finished, I am still growing into it slowly and something I am being dragged into it against my own will. Every day is a new annunciation, every trial, and mini crisis, every difficult situation that causes me to change my way of living, thinking, even praying, is a growth into the depths of my calling. It is never finished. For religious people, every day we are incarnated into Christ scourged, crowned, crucified and risen. The same can be said for the Mother, Father, friend, we face the new trails, the new call to change, in our families, our work and friendships and its painful sometimes, but it is growth.

The Vocation of life is never finished; we are growing into it all the time. Whatever you may be faced with today, whatever trial, crisis, ask for the grace to accept it and allow it to change you and your ways. A disciple of Christ is never finished, but perfected through an incarnate love which began with a simple yes.