The 3 Aisles

Today in Church, the priest was talking about vocations and I found his sermon quite interesting so I thought of sharing it with you...

According to him, vocations can be likened to the 3 aisles in church. The 3 aisles are: Marriage, Single Life, and Religious Life. Although Marriage is biggest and most popular aisle, it doesn't necessarily mean we are all called to it. Some of us are called by God to live a single or religious life.

He also talks about how society perceives us depending on the vocation we choose to follow. We are sometimes pressured by family or friends consciously or unconsciously to get married and have a family because it is the norm. It is what most people do and parents oftentimes want this for their children because they know they can help them since they've already travelled that road. But when a child tells his/her parents that he/she wishes to live a single or religious life, he/she may be frowned upon because the parents think he/she will be lonely and that they might not be able to relate to the child since they haven't travelled that road themselves. He also mentions how sometimes people look at a person who is single or who is living a religious life and they say, "look, what a waste.. he's so handsome and smart and charming and he could've had a wife/husband and a family and yet here he is..." and that people feel sorry for them when they really shouldn't.

Although each vocation is different, it is still a calling from God and is equally special. All three give us joy, happiness, purpose, a sense of fulfillment and yet all three also brings pain, fear and challenges. We cannot and should not force others on a vocation which they are not called for and we should instead pray for them to hear God's voice and listen to what God wants for them.

So you see just because someone chooses to be single doesn't mean there's something wrong with that person. Maybe he/she is being called by God to live a single life. I know I'd be awfully proud if one my brothers were to become a priest (of course I don't think I'd ever confess to them...LOL). Sometimes I wonder if maybe I'm being called for something else... regardless of where God calls me I know I'd be happy.