How Do You Know?

[Sarah147]

[quote name='JenDeMaria' timestamp='1304038909' post='2234418']
This is so apt -- it is exactly the way I felt about my conversion to the Faith, actually.

Our perpetual eucharistic adoration chapel had a book on discerning the diocesan priesthood until recently (it appears to have wandered off this week). I flipped through it and looked at the section on discernment and found an interesting excercise:

The vocations director described making two holy hours on two different occasions in which he engaged in a "holy fantasy" -- imagining, in detail, married life and then life as a priest. At the end of each, he imagined dying a good death and standing before God in judgment asking "Did I choose well?" and he said, at the end of both, he felt happy with his choice and did not get a clear sense of which God might prefer. But, when he imagined what each life would entail and what he could do without, it was the thought that no one would ever call him "Father" if he did not become a priest that made his heart hurt most. Then he knew what he was called to do.
[/quote]


Yeah, I do that... Imagine living the life of each... I feel that's part of discernment. It always comes right back to religious life, for me. But then, it's easy to get lost in the clouds and imagine it being a certain way, but getting a reality check when you actually visit an order, or date a person, or try living alone in the single life, etc. etc.

Edited April 29, 2011 by JoyfulLife

[Guest Sr. Rozalia]

Before I joined religious congregation, I was discerning it for 5 years.....no matter what I was doing, the thought of becoming religious never left. Deep down I knew that is what I should do with my life. Do you feel the same way?....God gave me the grace that upon arriving to the postulancy house, the overwhelming feeling of peace and being in the right place came upon me and pretty much stayed with me up to now. However, the decision of whether to go or not was one of the hardest ones I had to make.....IT WAS WORTH IT!
If the thought of becoming religious is there, it's go to come from Him, right?.....so, go for it, don't make Him wait
[quote name='InPersonaChriste' timestamp='1303749053' post='2232468']
So,

I have been discerning for 5 years and I have always wondered about that "feeling" you get in your heart when you just "know" that you are called to be one thing or another. The thing is, I am always so doubtful that when I feel something I pass it off. I am always I guess not trusting in God enough because I am worried that I will turn out to be one of those people who like the thought of religious life but are actually not called.

I dont know if this actually makes sense but I guess that typing it down helps me think it out.


In Persona Christe

Yoda
[/quote]

[Guest cincosechzehn]

(I apologize for the misspelling in my information - I will change this as soon as I'm able, as this is my first post. I know this has nothing to do with my actual post; I just really don't like typos.)
I have a question somewhat related to this -- hence why I'm posting here and not starting a new thread. Not simply a "how do you know," but rather [b]"how soon is too soon to know?"[/b]
[b]
[/b]
My concern with discernment is this: I am a neophyte (baptized, confirmed, communicated...a week ago! Hooray!), but have felt an attraction to religious life for months upon months (I'd say around March of 2010 was when I really started to look into it.)

I am aware enough that the excitement of being a part of the Church at long last can possibly cloud or confound what God is calling someone to do (you know, a well-intending over-enthusiasm), so the fact that this thought continues to cross my mind is something I wasn't comfortable telling anyone close to me until very recently.

How soon is too soon? There is a part of me that secretly hopes I am [i]not [/i]called to religious life (forgive my weakness -- there are still some things I couldn't imagine giving up just yet!), but this thought and attraction to religious life will not go away. I spoke to a priest recently who told me that the "waiting period" is two years (I assume after Confirmation.)

How would you, my "big brothers and sisters," handle this? Do you "put the thought on the back-burner," as it were, until a little later?

[carmenchristi]

[quote name='cincosechzehn' timestamp='1304672293' post='2237874']
(I apologize for the misspelling in my information - I will change this as soon as I'm able, as this is my first post. I know this has nothing to do with my actual post; I just really don't like typos.)
I have a question somewhat related to this -- hence why I'm posting here and not starting a new thread. Not simply a "how do you know," but rather [b]"how soon is too soon to know?"[/b]
[b]
[/b]
My concern with discernment is this: I am a neophyte (baptized, confirmed, communicated...a week ago! Hooray!), but have felt an attraction to religious life for months upon months (I'd say around March of 2010 was when I really started to look into it.)

I am aware enough that the excitement of being a part of the Church at long last can possibly cloud or confound what God is calling someone to do (you know, a well-intending over-enthusiasm), so the fact that this thought continues to cross my mind is something I wasn't comfortable telling anyone close to me until very recently.

How soon is too soon? There is a part of me that secretly hopes I am [i]not [/i]called to religious life (forgive my weakness -- there are still some things I couldn't imagine giving up just yet!), but this thought and attraction to religious life will not go away. I spoke to a priest recently who told me that the "waiting period" is two years (I assume after Confirmation.)

How would you, my "big brothers and sisters," handle this? Do you "put the thought on the back-burner," as it were, until a little later?
[/quote]

First of all CONGRATS on entering the Church! I would agree with the priest with whom you spoke and say that two years is a good and prudent period to wait, without being too long. The most important thing for you right now is to continue to grow in your relationship with Christ, laying a solid foundation on which you will build your life with Him. Most communities won't accept you as a neophyte, but if you really feel a strong attraction there is nothing keeping you from establishing contact with a religious institute, doing some retreats with them, getting to know them. I would definitely say take it slow, wait a couple of years. Also WRITE DOWN your thoughts and experiences! The journal that I kept in my period of "falling in love with Jesus" has really heped me through some tough times.... keeping it was one of my best decisions ever!
Prayers for you!

[the171]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' timestamp='1304031539' post='2234363']
I just came across this very thorough way of discerning...

[url="http://www.lafayettecarmelites.org/god_calling.php"]http://www.lafayette...god_calling.php[/url]
[/quote]


HEY. :D I'm discerning with that Carmel