From the Friars: Find Your Life

The young man was full of joy at the thought of giving his life to God. But he knew that his father would not be happy about the idea. The family patriarch had worked very hard for years to build up a successful business and his dream was to pass on this legacy to his son. The reaction was worse than anticipated. The furious father got violent and beat the younger man and locked him up in the basement. After becoming convinced that this call from the Lord was genuine, his mother waited for an opportune moment and then set her son free.

A few years later, not far away in the same town, a beautiful girl from a wealthy and powerful family also experienced a deep desire to consecrate herself entirely to Jesus. Knowing that her father and uncles would never allow such a thing, she made a plan to sneak away in the middle of the night. The escape was successful and by the time her relatives caught up with her she had taken the veil in a nearby convent.

Today we know these two rebellious youths as Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi. The gospel reading for today’s Mass no doubt had a powerful influence on both of them: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, … Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Mt 10:37-39) They understood that as important as human bonds are, they a gift from Our Creator and our obligation to Him is absolute, outweighing all others.

Young people should be taught and encouraged from childhood to pray for the grace to know their vocation. The call to the priesthood or consecrated life is a great privilege and parents must respect the work of the Holy Spirit in the souls of their children, without sacrificing their responsibility to counsel and guide them.

Our Lord Himself began to teach His Mother and foster father this when He said to them, “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49).

–Fr. Peter