For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/092707.shtml
St. Vincent de Paul, pray for us!
One of the signs of a vocation to the priesthood and religious life is a dissatisfaction with the things of this world. A young person can see that the world is good, and enjoy the things of this world, while still longly deeply for what lies ahead, what is invisible and beyond our reach. A sign of a calling to priesthood or religious life is a desire to live as much as possible in the kingdom of heaven, even while we remain on pilgrimage here below.
The reading we have from Haggai today reminds me of the reading from the beginning of the book of Ecclesiastes, which questions whether all of life is vanity. Someone who is called to priesthood or religious life oftentimes sees a life not joined to eternal and ultimate reality as putting money is a bag with a hole in the bottom. The prophet Isaiah says it this way – why spend your money for what fails to satisfy? The reading from Haggai reminds us not to live a frivolous life, but one that has eternal consequences. What better way to do this than to pray everyday for the gift of a calling to the priesthood or religious life?
We have a powerful patron today, St. Vincent de Paul, who by his prayers is ready to help us to leave everything and to follow Christ with all our heart, all our mind, all our soul and all our strength!
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