如何得知妳是否有修道生活的聖召?
        首先了解天主不會用戲劇化或激進的方式召叫你，祂會用輕聲細語
、漸進的方式、腦中一再出現的想法，剛開始你要找時間靜下心來反思

在心中的蛛絲馬跡，你心中最深切的渴望是什麼? 你對未來有什麼願景

和夢想? 你想成為什麼樣的人? 當你想到修道生活，你的感覺如何?

你覺得充滿活力? 興奮? 有希望? 平靜? 是活著的? 也可能感到害怕和憂慮。

在思考人生重大選擇時，這些感覺都是很正常的，害怕和憂慮的感覺會

來來去去，但不會去主宰你的感覺。

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        如果天主召叫你來過修道的生活，祂不會要求你去否認自己，反而祂會讓你更成為天主創造你時本來的你，你考慮加入的修會，對你來說，應該有家的感覺，你應該感到與這個修會、他們的使命、以及他們的服務工作有連結，在這個團體中，你應該可以做你自己而且也可以善用天主賜給你的天賦，如Joan Chittister, OSB 修女說的「不是單純的去做該做的事情，而是自我發展到一個無止境的喜樂」。這就是天職，也就是將生命活出極致。

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       就如同Ronald Releaser 在他的著作The Holy Longing 中談到的「我們能如何處理內心的火苗?如何引導我們的熱情?」修道生活的遠景及夣想、以及特定的修會是否符合你自己對世界的遠景和夢想?你是否有願望、技能、及賦能懷著喜樂充份活出修道的願景。

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        托馬斯•默頓曾在New Seeds of Contemplation寫道「一個人須要有英雄般的謙虛才能活得真誠透徹、活在生活的複雜中、走過人生、夢想、並努力在偉大的奧秘中活出自己的奧秘， 這就是尊嚴。(就是天職！)走出自己的道路、時而一瘸一拐、時而奔跑、在旅途中一再被塑造。我們的完美來自於走向天主的每一步、每一個選擇。有英雄般的謙虛才能做真正的自己」。

 

祈禱文:
充滿奧祕的藝術家，祢用我的生命來為這個世界漆上新的顏色，請賜給我勇氣來接受祢給予我生命中獨特的禮物，當我害怕因祢在我心中而使我感到完整的存在時，請當我的避難所。支持我幫助我來優雅地走過這一段祢召喚我來走的美麗道路。賜給我英雄般的謙遜來成為祢要我做的。阿門。
~托馬斯•默頓

 

以下步驟有助於辨別修道生活是否適合你:

1.找時間祈禱、靜下心反思。聆聽在心中逐漸成形的答案。

2.寫日記:這是很有用的方式。修道生活中，那一部份最吸引你？什麼是你希望、渴望、恐懼、憂慮的?當你想     到自己是一為修女時，感覺如何?你認為會有那些挑戰?

3.開始收集修道生活和各修會的資訊。

4.你或許想開始和靈修導師見面。靈修導師可以協助你禱告的生活及分辨聖召，靈修導師受過訓練來幫助人們辨別聖神的運動。靈修導師不會直接給你答案，但會幫助你找出你心中深切渴望的答案。你可與當地的教區或避靜中心連絡，以取得你當地靈修導師的名單。在選擇你的靈修導師之前，可以先和他們談談再決定。最重要的是和這個人在一起時要很自在。

5.在堂區內、社區中、或有服務機會時，若還沒有主動機極參與，要盡可能的做到。

6.拜訪一些修會，可請靈修導師協助拜訪。跟教區或修會的靈修導師談一談。

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How do you know if you have a vocation to religious life?

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First of all it is not the typical experience for God to call in dramatic or earth shattering ways. The call for most people is gradual and organic; a whisper, an inclination, a thought that keeps recurring. You begin to get in touch with God’s desire by taking the time to be quiet and to reflect upon the inner stirrings of your own heart. What are your deepest longings? What is your vision and dream for the future and the kind of person that you want to be? When you think about religious life how do you feel? Are you energized? Excited? Hopeful? Peaceful? Alive? It is also common to feel scared and apprehensive. These are natural feelings for anyone who is discerning a life decision. Feelings of apprehension and fear will come and go, but they are not the predominant feelings.

If God is calling you to religious life, God is not asking you to deny who you are, but rather to become more fully the person that God has created you to be. The congregation that you are contemplating entering, should be a place where you feel at home. It is crucial that you feel connected with the group and what the group is about in their mission and ministry. The community needs to be a place where you can be yourself and use the gifts and talents that God has given you. As Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB states, “It is not about simply going through the motions, it is about the development of self to the point of unbridled joy.” This is what vocation is about. It is about living life to the full.

It is about “what we do with the fire inside of us and how we channel our passion” says Fr. Ronald Releaser in his book The Holy Longing. 

Does the vision and dream of religious life, and of a particular religious congregation, fit with your vision and dream for the world and for yourself? Do you have the desire, skills and gifts to live that vision well, and joyfully as a religious?

Thomas Merton writes, in New Seeds of Contemplation, “It takes heroic humility to live faithfully and fully, life in all its complexity, and walk and dream and strive to be our mysterious self in the Great Mystery. But that is what sanctity is. (This is what vocation is!) Walking in our own shoes, limping and running, and being formed by the journey. Our ‘perfection’ (fulfillment) comes with each step and each choice to keep moving toward the face of God. It takes heroic humility to be who we are.”

 

Prayer:
O mysterious Artist, who uses my life to paint new color for the world, give me the courage to receive your unique gifts in my life. Be my sanctuary when I become afraid of becoming that full being that is uniquely your presence within me. Sustain me and help me walk gracefully in the true beauty you call forth from me.Give me the heroic humility to be as you would have me be. Amen. ~Thomas Merton

Helpful Steps in Discernment ~ Trying to figure out if religious life is for you!

 1.Take time for prayer and quiet reflection. Listen for the answer taking shape in your heart.

 2.Journal – it is often helpful to keep a journal. What about religious life is most appealing to you?       What are your hopes, desires, fears, concerns? When you think of yourself as a religious sister, how   does it feel? What do you think will be some of the challenges?

 3.Begin to gather information on religious life and religious communities. 

 4.You may want to begin meeting with a spiritual director. A spiritual director is someone who can   assist you in your prayer life and discernment. Spiritual directors are trained to help people identify   the movements of God’s spirit. The director will not give you the answer but will help you to discover   the answer to your heart’s longings within yourself. You may contact the Diocese or retreat houses in   your area to obtain a list of spiritual directors in your area. It is possible to interview the person before

 actually asking them to be your director. Be sure you are comfortable with this person.

 5.Be active in your parish, your community or some type of service opportunity, if you are not already

 doing so.

 6.Visit some religious communities. A visit can be planned with the help of the vocation director.   Speak  with the vocation director of your diocese or a particular religious community.​​

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