Vigils Reading – Office for Vocations

DIVINE CALLS

From a sermon by St John Henry Newman5

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We find in scripture a remarkable instance of a Divine Call, and the

manner in which it is our duty to meet it. Samuel was a mere child when he was

brought to the house of the Lord; and in due time he was called to a sacred

office, and made a prophet. He was called, and he forthwith answered the call.

He did not understand at first who called, and what was meant; but on going to

Eli he learned who spoke, and what his answer should be. So when God called

again, he said: “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.” Here is prompt obedience.

Very different in its circumstances was St Paul’s call, but resembling

Samuel’s in this respect, that, when God called, he also promptly obeyed. When

St Paul heard the voice from heaven, he said at once, trembling and astonished,

“Lord, what will you have me do?” This same obedience is stated or implied in

two accounts which he himself gives of his miraculous conversion. In chapter 22

he says, “And I said, What shall I do, Lord?” and in ch. 26 he tells King Agrippa:

“Whereupon, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision”.

Such is the account given us in St Paul’s case of that first step in God’s gracious

dealings with him, which ended in his eternal salvation. “Whom He foreknew,

He also predestined – and whom He predestined, He also called” – here was the

first act which took place in time – “and whom He called He also justified, and

whom He justified, He also glorified”. Such is the Divine series of mercies; and

you see that it was prompt obedience on St Paul’s part which moved Divine

grace forward.

This, then, is the first lesson taught us by St Paul’s conversion, promptly

to obey the call. If we do obey it, to God be the glory, for He it is Who works in us.

If we do not obey, to ourselves be all the shame, for sin and unbelief work in us.

Such is the state of mind expressed by holy David: “When you said, Seek

My face, my heart said to you: Your face, O Lord, will I seek”. And this also is

illustrated in the case of many other saints in scripture shown in word and deed.

For instance, we read of the apostles that “Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee,

saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net

into the sea, for they were fishers. And He said to them, Follow me, and I will

make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets and followed him”.

Again, when He saw James and John with their father Zebedee, “He called

them; and they immediately left the ship, and their father and followed Him.”

And so also with St Matthew at the custom house, “He said to him, Follow Me;

and he left all, rose up and followed Him.”