In a crucial match quite often coaches (especially of losing side) step forward and gesture downward. That is a gesture to get the players down to basic principles of that game. The same applies to me also, not because am losing, but it becomes apparent with each passing day that I am in a crucial moment in vocation journey. Decisive commitment to be a laborer in the Lord vineyard and in his Church awaits me. Discernment becomes even more intense as I look for spiritual anchor for my vocation journey and sources of nourishment to continue.
 
A gospel text (Mk. 2:13-17) I chose recently for meditation gave me some indication. The text narrates the call of Levi, from his custom post and his prompt response. That was after Jesus went along sea shore and a large crowd followed him, and he taught them. Praying with this text series of questions crossed my mind. The man Levi is a tax collector, a social outcast, a traitor, someone considered to be outside salvation; he hasn’t been to any of the preaching sessions of Jesus at sea shore. Yet as Jesus “passed by”, he too was called, and immediately he got up and followed him. There is a missing link here. What made the Lord to call this “public sinner”? What about his immediate response? Some greater must be at work.

Casting my mind back to Ex. 34:6, I find the phrase: the Lord passed by before him. In this remarkable scene, God performed what He had promised to Moses the day before. That is a theophanic experience with content, “The Lord. . . merciful and gracious.” At an earlier period He had announced Himself to Moses, in the glory of His self-existent and eternal majesty, as “I am” (Ex. 3:14); now He makes Himself known in the glory of His grace and goodness. These are attributes that were to be illustriously displayed in the future history and experience of the Church. The call of the Levi should not surprise me. It indicates the most fitting time to proclaim the extent of the divine mercy and abundant love which was to be displayed, not in the case of Israel only, but of all.

Clearly “passing by” in scripture signifies theophanic experience, and with it is an attractive force. When that happy the human object it only left to give prompt response the glory revealed irresistible. It also signifies the Lord’s continual presence, strength, recipe for hope and courage. And so St Paul reminds the Corinthians that “the love of Christ urges us on” (caritas Christi urget no [2Cor. 5:14]).
 
So I recall that in my sophomore year in high school, while praying school chapel one day trounce sort of experience. I am not sure how long and what happened. I can only describe it as momentary interruption of my consciousness. That filled me with fear and trembling. But after some time I started to reminiscence the experience. It has been my desire and prayer since to have the experience again. But that has not been granted yet.
Put in the context of the whole bible, Mk. 2:13-17 sheds light on my vocation story. It gives it meaning and makes worth sharing. Was it a theophanic experience? Maybe! But one thing is sure; my spiritual directors, since then have helped me draw spiritual nourishment from the wellspring of that experience in this journey of discernment so far.
 
It has become important for me that the first and necessary step to discerning the purpose and meaning of my life is awareness. Awareness of the diverse ways the Lord “passes by” in our lives. Bound with “passing by” experience is a call addressed to everybody irrespective of socio-religious background, race, gender or economic status. For God does not call the righteous. On the contrary the Lord sanctifies those he has called. It is important to learn that even in the ordinariness of daily life divine purpose (“a gracious design in Christ” [Gal. 1:6b]) is unfolding. This realization fills me with such confidence that even my human inadequacies become strength. For I know, caritas Christi urget nos (the love of Christ urges us on).

God has blessed your marriage and given you children…. If the Divine Master comes and asks for “His part”—one of your children, whom He has called to be a priest, a religious or a nun—what will you do? What will become of the holy inspirations that have spoken to their hearts, and His voice whispering to them: “Do you love Me? Will you follow Me?” In God’s name I beg you not to stifle in their souls their openness to the Divine Call. How deep will your Christian spirit really be if you back away from the honor of cooperating and helping in the work of spreading the Faith and the Catholic Church not merely with material help but also with the very precious gift of your children that God is asking of you? Dear married couples, help the Church, the Spouse of Christ; help Christ, the Savior of men, with the fruit of your marriage. Give God the portion of your blessing He is asking for out of your home.

Pope Pius XII, March 25, 1942

So I see that it is now my turn to add some words to this "vocations blog."  I have never written on a blog before, in fact, I mostly chuckle to myself every time I hear the word "blog." It just sounds funny to me, but I digress.  Now for all of you college students reading this, you are probably about to scroll down to see how long this this thing is, and then you will decide to skip past it because you have to get back to Facebook.  Please keep reading.
 
With a world of options open to me as to what it is that I could write about here, I have decided to actually write about my college experience and the college students I see today.  Inspired by just attending the FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic College Students) conference in Orlando, I have decided to share a few of my reflections.  
 
I attended college in the early 1990's - and I was concerned with one thing: simply trying to fit in.  I wasn't really making any kind of positive difference in anyone's life, and I was attempting to walk through life without being ridiculed.  I see my college years as a bit of a waste as I now look back.  Mother Teresa writes, "A life not lived for others is a life not worth living"
 
For this reason I now want to lift up and write a little about those college students who have lived their life for others, and by doing so, have changed my life.  I can remember back to the year 2001 when I attended a mission trip in Garden City KS.  This trip was run by two college students alongside a few others.  One of these students was named Kensie and she has since gone on to become a sister working with the very poor in New York city.  The other student was a young man nicknamed Chewy, who I recently ran into at the NCYC in Kansas City.  I was able to meet his wife and hear about their beautiful family.  I was also able to inform him about the role he played in changing my life through his example of going beyond "fitting in with the crowd."  
 
You see, that is the thing that I find the most inspiring about the college students that I have interacted with over these last ten years.  They are more courageous than I was.  They are willing to live a life of prayer, love, and chastity, that is often times mocked by others, and they are willing lay all of this on the line for the love of God.  
 
I think now of the summer of 2002 when I attended another mission trip, this time in southern Illinois, and again I was inspired by four more incredible college students willing to give up their summer for a love of God and others.  In 2003, although already an old man of 31, I spent my summer working for ten weeks alongside still more awesome college students doing mission work with high schoolers, and in 2005 I started working with college students right here in the diocese of Salina.  
 
I could go on and on about the many college students from our diocese who have inspired me in so many ways, but I know that I am to keep this blog (chuckle, chuckle) short.  I could write seven or eight chapters about each of these students, but then who would want to read a book with one thousand chapters written by a guy who doesn't even know the rules of grammar.,:?;
 
Instead of proceeding with my ten volume series about the awesome people in my life, I will end by simply saying thank you college students.  Thank you for showing a fearful young man who was just trying to be like everyone else that there is a better way.  Thank you for showing me that the easy path is not always the best path, and thank you for showing me that sometimes in life we will be ridiculed and yet we are able to stand tall in the midst of such laughter.  Mostly, however, thank you for showing me the presence of God.
 
God bless you and keep the faith,
Gale