‘Be it done unto me according to your word’

I’m my own man! I’m self-made, and I alone should determine my destiny! I will let nothing stand in the way of what I want. There is no other road to happiness!

That is what contemporary society would have us believe.

But the Christian viewpoint is much different. Not in the end—we were certainly created to be happy—but in the means. We were created to be happy with God, and God has an idea of what we need to do to attain that happiness with Him.

What that means, essentially, is that we cannot be the ultimate self-determining men society calls us to be. We have to allow ourselves to be re-created by God for His purpose. Only in doing so will we be able to find the happiness that God has planned for us.

God never makes a mistake when He calls. It can be hard to fathom, but it’s true: God will never call you into a vocation that is not the perfect fit for you. The creator of the universe never makes mistakes. The only rational response to God’s will is total surrender.

Mary knew this. She revealed her deep trust in God’s will when she responded to the angel, “Be it done unto me according to your word.” It was a moment of total surrender that changed the world forever.

Interestingly, when priests tell their vocation stories, the Blessed Mother almost always plays a role. Sometimes it’s dramatic: “I prayed a novena asking for Mary’s intercession and she sent me a sign.”

Most often, though, it is simple: “I started saying the rosary every day, and over time, my vocation became clearer.”  And throughout their priesthood, priests continue to rely on the Blessed Mother as a comforting feminine presence, a true spiritual mother.

Mary always leads us to her Son. Imitate her complete trust, and you’ll eventually be able to surrender your will completely to God.  Who knows?  Maybe He is calling you to be a priest, married to the bride of Christ, the church.

Remember, the best way to discern is to pray and be open to God’s will in your life.