Vocations Explained Part 9

St. Liguori says: "We should pray earnestly to G.o.d to make known to us His will, whatever may be the state He has in store for us. Do not fail to recommend yourself in a special manner to our holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, beseeching her to obtain for you the grace perfectly to fulfil the will of her divine Son."

"In all your doubts and anxieties," says St. Bernard, "think of Mary, call upon her name."

_2. Freedom from Sin._

When mortal sin reigns in the soul, it acts like a dark cloud veiling from us the light of heaven: "For wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sins." "Your iniquities have divided between you and your G.o.d, and your sins have hid His face from you." "The way of the wicked is darksome; they know not her into the wilderness, and I will speak to where they fall."

G.o.d loves to communicate Himself to those whose hearts are free from the defilements of sin. "Blessed are the clean of heart; for they shall see G.o.d." "The clean of heart" shall see G.o.d, not only in heaven, but even in this life; they shall see Him in His works and recognize His providence in all His designs: "To them that love G.o.d, all things work together unto good."

Hence he who wishes to ascertain the state of life which he should embrace ought to keep himself constantly in the friends.h.i.+p of G.o.d: "Draw nigh to G.o.d, and He will draw nigh to you."

_3. Humility._

"Every proud man is an abomination to the Lord." "G.o.d resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." "The prayer of him that humbleth himself shall pierce the clouds; and he will not depart till the Most High behold."

_4. Retreat._

G.o.d loves to communicate His choicest favors in the silence of retreat: "I will lead her into the wilderness and I will speak to her heart."

If you cannot make a regular retreat, at least avoid all dissipation of mind; retire into the solitude of your heart, after the example of St. Catharine of Siena and other saints, always remembering that G.o.d is near you and that He wishes to speak to your heart.

_5. Counsel._

"My son, do thou nothing without counsel, and thou shalt not repent when thou hast done."

Your best adviser is your confessor. Through his own vocation he receives special helps from G.o.d.

To know and to do G.o.d's will in the choice of a state of life is a grace which parents should earnestly invoke upon their children even from infancy; and it is important that the children themselves, especially from the time of their First Communion, should daily ask of G.o.d the grace to know their vocation.

For this purpose they would do well to say daily three Hail Marys, or the following beautiful prayer of St. Bernard, which might be appropriately said in common; for "where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them."

_Prayer of St. Bernard._

Remember, O most pious and compa.s.sionate Virgin Mary, that from all ages it is unheard of, that any one was forsaken who, placing himself under thy maternal protection, implored thy a.s.sistance and begged the favor of thy prayers. Animated with the confidence which this inspires, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins and Mother of my G.o.d, and in the bitterness of my sorrow I throw myself at thy feet. O Mother of the Eternal Word, despise not my humble supplication, but listen graciously, and mercifully grant me the request which from my heart I make to thee. Amen.

An indulgence of three hundred days.