My brother, Paul, was never really much of a church goer. It wasn’t like he was an atheist or anything. Going to mass every week was just not something he felt he needed to do. He spent his time working as a contractor, learning the trade. He became very good at not only doing construction jobs, and all the technical aspects that were involved, but he also got proficient at dealing with customers and his employees. Communication and understanding of people allowed him to excel at getting customers and keeping employees. He didn’t know it at the time but God was preparing him. Several years ago the diocese of Trenton, New Jersey assigned a new priest to the church that sat directly behind my brother’s home. He was a young priest moving into an older, stale parish with dwindling attendance numbers. The new priest’s energy and passion turned the church and the community around…and my brother and his wife, Maureen, noticed. They became curious and investigated what was happening in the building out back. And they were hooked by a pastor and by the faith…again.
The parish needed help with dealing with building contractors who were employed by the pastor to get various jobs accomplished around the property. Heating and air conditioning systems, the church’s sound system and giving advice on finances. Because my brother had gotten to know the pastor over the last couple years, he asked my brother to be on the finances committee. He is now using his skills, gained through life experience, to further God’s work. No, he is not a missionary. He hates speaking in public. And would not do well as a Eucharistic Minister. But he was Called none-the-less.
A friend of mine, David, is a parishioner at the church we attend in Pennsylvania (he will know it is him I am referring to since he reads this blog). He is an excellent organizer. His career before retirement was working as a detective in the police department. He is very good at looking at a problem and formulating a plan on how to best tackle the issue then putting that plan in motion. The local pregnancy care center had a need for supplies to aid lower income families care for their pregnancies and for their children. David devised a plan to list on Amazon the items that the pregnancy center needed. This allow parishioners to easily purchase these items online. David then delivered the items to the center. Life skills used in a calling. He didn’t have to travel to the jungles of South America to make a difference.
I recall being on vacation at my daughter’s home in Dakar, Senegal. At the time I was forming my new business. A motorcycle tour company. Riding had been my passion for most of my life and now, in retirement, I was turning my hobby into a career. The one part of organizing the company that was proving to be a challenge was the name of the company. I didn’t want to use a name that was similar to every other tour company out there. Plus I wanted to make some type of statement to those who would come across the company name. One night I woke up suddenly and it hit me. Emmaus MotoTours. We all know the story of the Road to Emmaus where Jesus joins two of His disciples on the road and interprets all of Scripture to them. It was both a physical and spiritual journey. And that was the same message I wanted to convey about the tours I was going to be leading. And over the past 4-5 years the name of the company has resulted in many people asking me what it meant, allowing me to talk to them a little about God. And there are those who know what it the name referred to, and it attracted them to the company. Again, I did not need to travel by planes, trains and automobiles to do God’s will…to Be Called.
Simon and Andrew were working as fishermen. Matthew was a tax collector. All were engaged in their daily occupations when Jesus called them. Saul, Israel’s first King, was busy looking for his Father’s donkeys as part of his job as a herdsman when Samuel found him and anointed him as King. King David was shepherding sheep. Heck, Paul was in the business of tracking down and arresting Christians when he got literally knocked off his horse by Jesus. A unique calling for sure.
We can be called by a dream, or by quiet contemplation in adoration. Or by the persistent suggestions of a friend or stranger. But we ALL are called in one way or another. The question is…are we listening?
