{"id":3797,"date":"2024-06-03T23:10:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-03T23:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.maryknollsociety.org\/magazine\/?p=3797"},"modified":"2025-12-31T15:37:59","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T15:37:59","slug":"prayer-for-vocations-summer-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.maryknollsociety.org\/magazine\/prayer-for-vocations-summer-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Prayer for Vocations, Summer 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Persistent Call<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jesus, why did You call me<\/a>
to Your work at age 11?
Why make me imagine
my mother\u2019s jubilation
before the ordaining bishop?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, I thought I knew.
It wasn\u2019t my vocation;
it was my mother\u2019s. Whew!
Surely one so sinful wasn\u2019t being called
to work in the Vineyard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I thought it was over \u2014 but You
returned like the hound of heaven<\/a>.
You wouldn\u2019t let go. Again
You fired me up to enter the seminary.
I thought surely by then I was too old.
Oh, thank God. Free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet again, even in my fear,
Your guiding hand directed me: Enter.
Imagine, a 43-year-old military veteran, fearful?
I gave up, and said yes. And now
after 40 years as a missionary priest,
I say \u201cthank you\u201d for challenging me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s tough to say \u201cno\u201d when given
the opportunity to share Your love<\/a>
with my brothers and sisters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Joseph P. La Mar, M.M.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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