Honestly I felt sorry for my PSR kids because they probably know more than I did when I was in their age and they may be able to name all the New Seven Wonders of the World without research. But I couldn’t come up with a different way to teach them that there are more than they can hope for themselves. It is as difficult as to teach the importance of water to fish!
Victor Frankl who survived in the Concentration Camp during the World War 2 and wrote a book “Man’s Search for Meaning” said, “Don’t aim at success—the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue… as the unintended side-effect of one’s personal dedication to a course greater than oneself.”
Today, it is Good Shepherd Sunday as well as World Day of Prayer for Vocations in which the Catholic Church honors all Christian vocations, praying for those preparing for marriage, those who will be ordained as priests or deacons, those making vows to consecrated life, and those who are single and have dedicated their lives of service to the Lord. There are many ways to make our dreams come true but only one vocation to sum them up. St. Ignatius put it so simply: “God created us to praise, reverence and serve God and in this way to save our souls. God created all of the rest of creation to help us achieve the purpose for which God created us.”
It is the vocation through which God calls each of us in a special way. I know it starts as count-cultural because it is not about being successful but faithful, being rich but poor by giving up ourselves instead of gaining. Christians follow Jesus who is the stone rejected by many, the builders, which has become the cornerstone because we are the children of God. We are not hired men who work for themself, pursuing temporary pleasure and self-gratification. Rather we seek the heart of the good shepherd: being open to anything, being creative to be someone special, giving freely oneself away, and enjoying the joy of service.
I think of my PSR kids and all growing young men and women, praying for them to have courage to take an uncertain step to follow their heart instead of the safe worldly ladder.
I would like to say to the young, “I do not know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know; the only ones among you who will really be happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”