Signs of a vocation

“The vocation has a sign: an inner throb, a desire, a longing that does not let you stop, it is vox Dei, the voice of destiny, a mysterious voice, marvelously evident from the bottom of one’s heart.” (Fernando Rielo, Madrid, 3-2-1979)

God’s call

“The fact that God is calling, by whatever means, to the consecration to Him in the institution or other institutions within his Church, is a wonderful gift. Do you know what it means that God should put an indicative feeling in the soul, even if only a slight sensation, however small, of inclination to Him, to follow Him within a framework of genuine consecration?” (F.R., San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Tenerife), 13-9-1986)

“The religious vocation is a true divine call. And more than a call, it is a divine choice. To all those who ask for this vocation –because one also needs to ask for it– God grants it. What happens is that we have to know how to discern it.” (F.R., New York, 3-4-1992)

“There is a difference between calling and election. The call is ordered to the election. I call you to choose you. Thus, he says to Samuel, “Awake,” and Samuel answers, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Sam 3: 9f.). It had to be repeated three times because the poor boy fell back to sleep. When he got to his feet and said, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening”, God gave him the mission to lead his people. And Samuel is one of those judges who led the people of Israel according to the will of Yahweh. The vocation carries a mission with it, which is why we live the mission required by our vocation.” (F.R., Madrid, 2-7-1988)

Reason for the idente vocation

“Understand what the ultimate reason for your vocation is. I would tell you to go through the world announcing the Father, your Father, projecting the noblest deeds upon this world. You were not born to an apostolic misión to teach many things, but to teach them under the canon of the Word “Father” […]. In Him one finds the key to all blessings […]. You will always find in Him the solution to all the problems of life, to all your apostolic dreams” (F.R., San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Tenerife), 6-1-1974)

Vocation and mission

“For a vocation to become explicit, two elements are required: that there be some apostles who go and fish, and that Christ be present, as at Tiberiades, at the fishing. Indeed, He himself tells Peter: “I will make you a fisher of men”. But the nets might be thrown where there is no fish, and then, after a full day of work, it is He who must tell us the way to get great results in our fishing. It means there is a condition that we must fulfil in order to be successful apostles: that our moral disposition be clear and noble and that we fully and sincerely accept Him. This is to be a fisherman, which we all are as part of our Christian vocation. […]” (F.R. San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, 27-4-1984)

“Religious life goes together with the word vocation, vocation to sanctity. Sanctity, in its turn, is a mission, the first of all, personally and collectively: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5,48); that is: “be holy as your as your Heavenly Father is holy”; which means, here the mission is the Father…” (F.R., Madrid, 2-7-1988)

Faithfulness to vocation

“I always ask my Heavenly Father that vocations might be genuine, and that their reliable sign be that they love Christ, this beloved little Brother of mine. I ask that they honour the Church, and that they recreate it in the present, and more still in the future. Let us have great care to live spiritual life wonderfully, with its complement in a spiritual language. And let us have such good feelings that we can really make others happy for getting to know us.” (F.R., San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, 4-3-1984)