Speak, Lord, Your Servant is Listening

A bell tolls. An alarm clock buzzes. A coffee pot begins to fill. A spouse rolls out of bed. There are many diverse ways that we begin our day, but something or someone rouses us. We get up to live, pray, and do our work. It all begins with a call, though. A summons that will be a catalyst for all that we do. The call of God is no different.

Catholics on Call presents the opportunity to listen. It allows participants the chance to take a break from their hectic daily schedules and focus their energies on what matters most, on seeking God’s will in their lives. Additionally, it introduces people to fellow Catholics who, though young in age, intentionally live out their faith everyday. The environment refreshes, renews, and reassures those who often find their Christian values at odds with those of society and the world.

Arriving with this sense of discontent and desire to find something more, attendees are presented with, in a relaxed, honest, and no-pressure atmosphere, the myriad of ways that they might be able to live out this call that they sense deeply within their hearts and minds. From marriage to religious life, priesthood to lay ministry, the message is one of hope, one of helping each other find the persons we are all called to be. And while choosing one path often means the surrender or elimination of others, the conference instills a certain respect and admiration for those who obediently and courageously live out their various callings. Also, despite the fact that the lifestyles differ in outward appearance, their similarity of love and service of others becomes more apparent throughout the tremendous and vibrant presentations and talks.

All in all, however, the people prove themselves time and again as the top asset of Catholics on Call, the facet that makes everyone hungry for more. It is the early morning walk and talk along Lake Michigan, the quiet cup of tea with a new friend, a dinner conversation about home, a touching moment shared at a service project, some extra time praying together in the chapel, or the reluctance to say goodbye on the final day. People, brothers and sisters in the body of Christ seeking a common goal, make this conference absolutely worth the effort to attend.

Thus a thought to conclude: the call of God often surprises us. We expect it to come with fireworks or with the overwhelming nature of a great storm, but sometimes, it beckons in the softest of breezes, a gentle knocking at the door of our hearts. And its power hails not from its entrance but from its patience, its persistence, and its consistency despite the chaos of life. Listen carefully. God is calling. Will you answer the call?

By Daniel Allen

Daniel Allen participated in the Catholics On Call Young Adults Conference in August 2007. He is currently a campus ministry intern at the University of Notre Dame.