Vacation and vocation

The story is told about a doctor who asked his secretary: “Where is the next patient?”

“Oh, I sent him home,” said the secretary.

When he asked why, her response was: “Because he said he wasn’t feeling well.”

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In today’s Gospel (Mt. 14, 13-21) we hear of Jesus being disturbed by the crowd from his solitary retreat in a deserted place.  He was, so to say, on vacation, but He gave this up to do His vocation. Instead of just dismissing the crowd, He went out to minister and feed the multitude that sought His presence and service. His vacation was negotiable, while His vocation was not.

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What made Jesus forego His personal time and space for the crowd? Today’s Gospel says: “His heart was moved with pity for them.” The reason was a heart that had compassion. In other words, He did His ministry not just because of duty, pressure or fear; neither did He do it for favor or popularity. The reason was love. It would do us well today to ask ourselves why we do what we are doing.

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Our novice master Fr. Alphonse Mildner, SVD often emphasized to us that there is no vacation from our vocation. Now on my 31st year in priestly ministry, the more and more I realize the need to integrate and not dichotomize the two. Integration happens when we see vocation and vacation as something with the Lord. In my younger days, I used to see vacation as something for me, and vocation as something for God.  Older and (hopefully) wiser now, I realize that more than doing for, my vacation and vocation are done with the Lord.

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Now I know that all my steps and stops in life are moments of grace with God, whether away from the crowd, or with the crowd. “Give them some food yourselves.” This was Jesus’ instruction to His disciples prior to the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. In other words, He asks our participation and cooperation in His work. We are to rely on Him, but we are also to become reliable. We are to depend on Him, but we are also to become dependable.

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We who “feed the crowd” often end up the ones being nourished. How often have I come out of sick call feeling humbled and strengthened by the experience? How often have I counseled a troubled soul and ended up being reminded by God of my own weaknesses and faults? How often have I celebrated a Mass or given a talk, and ended up being embraced by God? The truth of the matter is that our “generosity” with God is nothing compared to His.

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Gone too soon. Fr. Adonis Narcelles, SVD, our Filipino missionary to Germany, died at the age of 40 in Berlin yesterday due to pancreatic cancer. This talented writer and artist from Pozorrubio, Pangasinan, who did much work for our fellow Filipinos in Germany, was a true missionary till the very end, never complaining of the pain, and he continued relying on the mercy of God. He died shortly after praying the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy. He studied his Theology and was ordained in Germany in 2003. Father Adonis is our first Filipino SVD missionary to die in Germany, from where our first SVD missionaries were sent to the Philippines in 1909.

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Let me share with you one of the poems that Father Adonis wrote:  “He cares for you… find rest for your weary soul, surrender to Him your troubled heart, your fears and anxieties; His words give comfort to your restless spirit; trust in Him, entrust everything to his loving embrace; He knows what is bothering you, He feels the pain, the sorrow; He is always there for you; find rest in Him, let his soothing word guide and strengthen you; He won’t leave you alone for He cares for you.

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Confronted with our own mortality we can’t help but ask ourselves when, where or how we will leave this world for our eternal vacation after we are done with our mission and vocation. Why do others go early, and why do others tarry?

Through it all, we just move on and keep going, and leave it all to God’s plan and perfect timing, and mercy.

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Where will you spend your long vacation in eternity? It all depends on whether you live life as one big easy vacation, or as one big worthy vocation.

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, let all my vacation and vocation be done with you. Amen.