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Discernment #3 - December 2010 - Be Not Afraid
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| From Fr. Mike Ingram, Vocation Director ~ (478) 788-6386
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Be Not Afraid!
God Never Speaks Through Fear
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Perhaps priesthood has crossed your mind, but fear pushes the idea away:
- My friends would laugh if they heard I was thinking about the priesthood!
- My parents would be shocked.
- I’m scared to death of speaking in public.
- I’m nowhere near holy enough.
- I don’t want to give up sex.
- I’ll be lonely.
- Seminary may be too hard for me.
- Being a priest looks boring.
These fears—and many more—are very common, even for men who are already in seminary. But literally thousands of men have had the same concerns and then went on to become holy and effective priests.
The first principle to remember is that God does not speak through fear. Fear is a tactic of the Enemy to keep you from pursuing God’s will; it is like the bite of an animal that paralyzes its prey to keep it from moving. A man in fear will find it difficult to move toward God’s will.
Remember that when Jesus called the apostle Peter (Lk 5:1-11), our first pope said, “Leave me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” However, Jesus reassured him that there was nothing to fear in following him. Our Lord knows the difficulties—your own weaknesses and sin as well as the obstacles you face—and if you “cast your net into the deep” and trust in Him, all will be well.
Pope John Paul II reiterated the theme “Be not afraid” throughout his pontificate. He applied it in particular to the difficulties of vocational discernment because he knew that fear immobilizes. It is difficult to overcome the uncertainty involved with such a weighty decision!
So how do you overcome fear? The key is to turn your fears into concerns. You may have legitimate concerns about celibacy or preaching—but that is not the same as being afraid. Rather than feeling fear, a man should look at the requirements of priesthood objectively. Sure, it’s true that priests need a certain level of self-control and ability for public speaking. These and many other areas require serious self-assessment. But that’s what discernment is all about: asking God to reveal you to yourself. And yes, you probably will discover areas that need to change and improve. But go about your self-assessment with a cool head, not with a heart full of fear.
When fear rises in your heart, call to mind the words of scripture, “Perfect love casts out all fear” (1 John 4:18). Fr. Brett Brannen, in his book To Save a Thousand Souls, recommends this meditation when a man feels afraid of priesthood:
“God is infinite in power and he loves me infinitely. There is no snatching out of his hand. God will never send me where his grace cannot sustain me. If he asks me to do something difficult, like become a priest, he will give me the grace to do it. I will not fail because he is with me. And I will be happy because I am doing his will. Even if I lack some of the needed qualities, God will help me develop them. In his will lies my peace.”
In other words, the all-powerful God loves you so much it doesn’t make sense to be afraid. If the creator of the universe has your best interests in mind, the only logical response is pure trust.
While you are discerning, the Blessed Mother can be a source of consolation. Recall that, after the angel told her to "fear not", she readily accepted God’s will for her: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Entrust your fears to her intercession, and she will help calm your heart and find the will of Jesus.
From a purely practical perspective, it’s comforting to know that if God calls you to be a priest, ordination is still years away. Seminary offers a period of intensive formation to help a man address his concerns, grow in holiness, and prepare for an effective priestly ministry. No man enters seminary ready to be a priest!
So be not afraid! Don’t let fear paralyze you. Instead, ask a priest you trust to help you with your concerns. Remain faithful to daily prayer, trust in God, and your heart will be at peace, no matter what your vocation.
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Thank you for taking the time to consider your vocation.
If you think God may be calling you to the serve Him in the ministry of the priesthood, please contact me.
May God bless you!
Fr. Mike Ingram
Vocation Director Diocese of Savannah
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(478) 788-6386
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