AuthorOfMyLife Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Hello, all! This is not a question--it is more of a discussion topic. I was watching some of the lovely videos posted in the "Favorite Religious Life Video" topic (thank you to the poster who started it!) and it seemed that a number of the videos where a sister was describing her call involved an interior voice of some kind. In other words, the woman in question heard an "interior voice" saying "Will you marry Me?" or "You will be a Bride of Christ" and other phrases along those lines. I completely believe that these sisters heard that Voice--they are clearly where they were meant to be! However, I do think it is good for some of the rest of us to remember that God doesn't always speak so clearly! I, for one, have never heard such a voice. The first time I ever considered religious life at all (apart from quickly dismissing it when I was a lot younger) was when my seminarian brother mentioned meeting some sisters in New Orleans. I thought: "Hey, that could be ME!?" I know that many wonderful vocation directors and saints have assured us that such a clear call is not necessary (so don't worry, I'm not afraid that I'm not called because I haven't heard anything like that). But, if anyone wishes, I would like to hear your thoughts on this topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byzantine Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) Never mind. Edited March 11, 2012 by Byzantine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) Interesting topic. I am always a little wary when people talk about their spiritual experiences because these things are so personal and individual. When one discusses spiritual experiences, there can also be a danger of spiritual pride or vanity and a sense of spiritual 'competition' between those who talk about it. On the other hand, we can be inspired by beautiful vocation stories of how a person felt called to God and His actions in their life. Like all things, there needs to be a certain amount of discretion used. I think I prefer to use the term 'interior calling' rather than 'interior voice'. It conveys a similar meaning with implying any kind of actual speech or words being used. When I had my 'reconversion' experience about five years ago, I prayed to Jesus specifically to be able to love Him, and was immediately filled with a 'presence' and a 'knowing'. But I didn't hear Him speak to me in words that could be heard. It was more like words that spoke to my soul and put me back on the path of discernment that I had abandoned many years before. I have always wanted to be a nun but I wasn't raised in the faith and it took a long time for me to understand fully what a vocation actually was, and what God was asking of me. Over the past five years I have had many deep spiritual experiences, especially during my times as a hermit, but rather than focus on these, I try to focus on learning to trust God, no matter what happens. I used to think that these spiritual experiences were very important, but over the years I have come to understand what St John of the Cross meant when he said that nothing pleases God more than simple faith in Him. If you think you are called to religious life, don't worry about voices or signs, but take each step in loving trust, most especially when times get tough, as they no doubt will occasionally. God orders all things for our good, and He loves each one of us more than we could possibly imagine. Just feeling that you might be called to religious life is a great gift in and of itself, whatever else happens, because it puts your focus on God and nothing could be more beautiful than that. Prayers for your discernment Edited March 11, 2012 by nunsense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FutureCarmeliteClaire Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 [quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1331431201' post='2398899'] Interesting topic. I am always a little wary when people talk about their spiritual experiences because these things are so personal and individual. When one discusses spiritual experiences, there can also be a danger of spiritual pride or vanity and a sense of spiritual 'competition' between those who talk about it. On the other hand, we can be inspired by beautiful vocation stories of how a person felt called to God and His actions in their life. Like all things, there needs to be a certain amount of discretion used. I think I prefer to use the term 'interior calling' rather than 'interior voice'. It conveys a similar meaning with implying any kind of actual speech or words being used. When I had my 'reconversion' experience about five years ago, I prayed to Jesus specifically to be able to love Him, and was immediately filled with a 'presence' and a 'knowing'. But I didn't hear Him speak to me in words that could be heard. It was more like words that spoke to my soul and put me back on the path of discernment that I had abandoned many years before. I have always wanted to be a nun but I wasn't raised in the faith and it took a long time for me to understand fully what a vocation actually was, and what God was asking of me. Over the past five years I have had many deep spiritual experiences, especially during my times as a hermit, but rather than focus on these, I try to focus on learning to trust God, no matter what happens. I used to think that these spiritual experiences were very important, but over the years I have come to understand what St John of the Cross meant when he said that nothing pleases God more than simple faith in Him. If you think you are called to religious life, don't worry about voices or signs, but take each step in loving trust, most especially when times get tough, as they no doubt will occasionally. God orders all things for our good, and He loves each one of us more than we could possibly imagine. Just feeling that you might be called to religious life is a great gift in and of itself, whatever else happens, because it puts your focus on God and nothing could be more beautiful than that. Prayers for your discernment [/quote] Amen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbTherese Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) Personally, if I heard an interior voice, I would take no notice of it at all - nothing - unless discussing it with my director and then following her advice. And my poor psychiatrist would probably have an anxiety attack!!! LOL Generally speaking, there are three signs of vocation: [list=1] [*]Attraction to the life [*]Ability to lead the life [*]Acceptance into the life [/list] Quite a few of our saints have had a long and difficult road with Nos. 2 and 3. If I were attracted to religious life as a personal vocation, I just would not give up until my last breath and no matter how difficult Nos 2 and 3 proved to be. Also, I have known at least two now fully professed religious sisters who initially had no attraction at all to religious life. The first seemed to run across nuns everywhere (seemed to her) and decided she might as well find out something about nuns and religious. That began her long journey into religious life. The second religious was engaged to be married and lost her fiance during WW2. She told The Lord she would do whatever He wanted her to do and that led to a journey into contemplative life. Our God indeed can write very straight in what strikes us as very crooked lines indeed. Life, God's greatest gift, and His Will accompanying every moment of that life and are a journey. A journey that unfold daily, in each and all of our days. Many nowadays especially it seems to me have had three vocations. Marriage and parenthood and then religious life and/or the priesthood. There might be other variations too. My cousin entered religious life, left, and then later married ............. etc. etc. etc. Edited March 11, 2012 by BarbaraTherese Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 [quote name='BarbaraTherese' timestamp='1331433562' post='2398919'] Personally, if I heard an interior voice, I would take no notice of it at all - nothing - unless discussing it with my director and then following her advice. And my poor psychiatrist would probably have an anxiety attack!!! LOL Generally speaking, there are three signs of vocation: [list=1] [*]Attraction to the life [*]Ability to lead the life [*]Acceptance into the life [/list] Quite a few of our saints have had a long and difficult road with Nos. 2 and 3. If I were attracted to religious life as a personal vocation, I just would not give up until my last breath and no matter how difficult Nos 2 and 3 proved to be. Also, I have known at least two now fully professed religious sisters who initially had no attraction at all to religious life. The first seemed to run across nuns everywhere (seemed to her) and decided she might as well find out something about nuns and religious. That began her long journey into religious life. The second religious was engaged to be married and lost her fiance during WW2. She told The Lord she would do whatever He wanted her to do and that led to a journey into contemplative life. Our God indeed can write very straight in what strikes us as very crooked lines indeed. Life, God's greatest gift, and His Will accompanying every moment of that life and are a journey. A journey that unfold daily, in each and all of our days. Many nowadays especially it seems to me have had three vocations. Marriage and parenthood and then religious life and/or the priesthood. There might be other variations too. My cousin entered religious life, left, and then later married ............. etc. etc. etc. [/quote] One of the nuns at Wolverhampton entered after her husband had died. They had decided together that if either of them died, the surviving one would enter a convent or become a priest! He died first and she entered Carmel. She even served as Prioress for awhile. So I agree, the ways into religious life are very different for each one of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbTherese Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 [quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1331434898' post='2398928'] One of the nuns at Wolverhampton entered after her husband had died. They had decided together that if either of them died, the surviving one would enter a convent or become a priest! He died first and she entered Carmel. She even served as Prioress for awhile. So I agree, the ways into religious life are very different for each one of us. [/quote] The colour green in nature fascinates me and ever since I studied Art - so many differing shades of "green", each unique. The same with each person's journey in life, so many 'shades'/varieties of journey. Each person absolutely unique and the same with their particular journey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbTherese Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) Deleted Emoticon My computer is playing up on Phatmass. Posted but it never showed on the forum, so I posted just an emoticon and when it posted onto the forum, so did the post I thought hadn't posted!!!!! . LOL Edited March 11, 2012 by BarbaraTherese Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Yeah, that's why I love hearing nun's stories. One at Nedlands Carmel left after 20 years as a nun (amidst much heartache) because her elederly Jewish mother was alone and needed her. She nursed her mother for many years and her mother converted before dying. Then this woman re-entered the same Carmel again and is still there! And each nun has her own remarkable story of God's grace. I know this is true of everyone in their life, nun or not, but of course, my fascination has always been with religious life, and since my path has been so rocky, I am always inspired by others who have also had many trials along the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strictlyinkblot Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I didn't hear any kind of a voice. For me the idea of religious life just kept cropping up over the years but I felt no peace about it. Then, last year while praying I felt something change in my soul. I joke and say that that was God proposing but there were no words or anything like that. It was a sense of peace that was planted into my soul and I knew then I could say yes or no to religious life and God would still love me. I don't know if that makes sense, it still doesn't make sense to me really. I just accept it as a gift from God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonjaFutura Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 One day, I was writing a letter to Our Lord (as I usually do), and i couldn't think of anything to tell Him, because there was so much to say. So I just wrote "Jesus, I have fallen in love with You." Then, He repeated the words "Mary, I love you! I want you to be My Bride!" 3 times in my heart. I opened my Bible at random, begging for some way to know that this was Him. I saw the words "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My heavenly Father." I knew it was God. I think that in some situations, it isn't the Lord talking but if it's God, you just [i]know.[/i]It's impossible to describe but you know if it's not God or if it really is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen'sDaughter Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I also love to read discerment stories, as the infinite variety never fails to amaze me. In my own case, I was in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, with nary a thought of being a nun, when I had a "big thought", almost like great chords of music, that [i]I could be a nun.[/i] It is hard to describe, it was so sudden and overwhelming. I eventually wrote a poem to solidify what it was like, but after a few days of initial shock I started looking at orders, had my first visit the next month, and never looked back. I know this sounds like I have moved very quickly, but God made be practice patience and perseverence by giving me two years to wait and discern and pray. And I am so grateful for them, for without them I would have entered the wrong order! God is indeed good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marigold Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I would be extremely wary of anything like a voice or a direct 'proposal'. The Orthodox Church teaches that the call has already gone out to [i]everyone[/i] ("Repent, for the Kingdom is at hand"), and monastic life is one way of responding to it. A response, not a calling. It's a self-offering. In my experience it actually makes for a much stronger 'vocation' because it's based on a personal decision and not a sense of duty, however generous, towards an inner feeling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuthorOfMyLife Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Thank you all for sharing your experiences. I agree that in some ways it really all comes down (hearing a definite "voice" or not) to making a decision. I think marigold makes a good point that we are actually all (all people) INVITED to receive the Evangelical Counsels. Whether we should actually do so will depend on each person, but it is an invitation. I try to see my vocation as an invitation that will help me be the very best I can be if I follow it. Actually, I would agree with some of the other posters that if I heard such a voice, I would be suspicious of it. I suppose that is why God has only sent me "intellectual" messages, so to speak! He knows what each of us needs to just LISTEN and get going! Again, thank you all. I don't know any sisters or other discerners in my neck of the woods, and it is great to hear how others are dealing with discerning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarysLittleFlower Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I agree that we should be discerning and that a vocation a response... But I have read about some of the Saints, and several nuns, being asked to be religious in that way, through a "voice".. whether they actually heard it, or more of an internal 'knowing'... so I suppose it is possible too I guess God leads people in different ways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now