How did you know God was calling you to this life?

How did you know God was calling you to this life?  I knew many priests and religious sisters growing up and they made a positive impact on my life. Through their words and the words of the Sunday readings at Mass, I heard Jesus say to me again and again: “Follow Me!” Sometimes the invitation also came in unexpected ways, for example, when shopping in a department store or driving somewhere, I would hear one of my favorite popular songs, sensing it was really Jesus singing those words to me via the radio. Over the years, several teachers and significant adults said to me: “You should think about being a nun.” God extended His desire for me to follow Him through them as well… The key to accepting my vocation was the realization that, for me, the best way to be truly happy would be to share with others the many blessings I had received, the most significant being the gift of faith.

Society Devoted to the Sacred Heart
Sister Mary Beth teaching in Chinese

What advice would you give to someone considering a consecrated religious life? For any young person considering or struggling to accept a call from God to enter the seminary or a religious order, my advice to you is to visit a Marian Church in your area. Spend some quiet time there and listen to your heart. You will know what God wants you to do. Don’t be afraid to take that first and necessary “leap of faith,” as Mary did. After all, it is due to her initial “yes” to God that we each have the possibility of making Christ’s presence more visible in our world today.

This is an excerpt from an interview with Sister Mary Beth for a Catholic Blog during the Year for Consecrated Life, for the full interview: click here

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