XIV. Our Call

Made in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26), every person is summoned to holiness. Jesus, true God and true man, is our flawless pattern (Phil. 2:5–11). As “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:2), He lived what He taught, formed in the hidden years by Mary and Joseph’s fidelity, love, and sacrifice (Luke 2:51–52). Their home was the first school of discernment, obedience, and perseverance virtues that prepared Him for His public mission.

The baptism of Jesus mirrors the structure of Isaiah’s call (Isa. 6:1–9). In Isaiah’s vision, the prophet beholds God’s glory, receives purification through the seraph’s coal, and is commissioned for his mission. At the Jordan, the heavens open (vision), the Spirit descends (purification and anointing), and the Father’s voice sends forth the Son (commission) (Matt. 3:16–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22). Though without sin, Jesus humbly submits to baptism in solidarity with sinners, fulfilling the Law and sanctifying the waters for those who would follow.

Discernment in the life of Jesus was inseparable from prayer. The Evangelists consistently place Him in solitude before decisive moments: before choosing the Twelve (Luke 6:12–13), before Peter’s confession (Luke 9:18–20), and before the Cross (Luke 22:39–46). Like Isaiah, His mission was not measured by human approval but by fidelity to the Father’s will. The Cross, which seemed like defeat, was His supreme victory (Phil. 2:8–9). As Vatican II teaches, “all the faithful of Christ… are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity” (Lumen Gentium §40). Our path like His must be one of prayer, humility, and obedience, trusting that God’s measure of success is faithfulness, not acclaim.

Jesus, true God and true man, is our flawless pattern (Phil. 2:5–11). As “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:2)

Amazing- God as Father, Jesus as example, HS within ourselves

Citations

Isaiah and Jesus stand before us as living icons of God’s pedagogy. Isaiah, confronted by the thrice-holy God, allowed himself to be purified and sent, even though he knew his message would be resisted. Jesus, the incarnate Son, submitted to baptism not for His sake but for ours, embracing the Father’s will in perfect humility. Both reveal that discernment begins in the presence of God, is tested in obedience, and is measured by fidelity, not popularity. They teach us that our call is not an abstract idea but a concrete mission one rooted in holiness and lived out in the world God has entrusted to us.

As people of faith and reason, we are not exempt from this summons. Created in God’s image and renewed in Christ, we are equipped with both the light of revelation and the gift of intellect to discern His will. The witness of Isaiah and Jesus calls us to resist the easy path of compromise and instead to stand firm in truth, even when it costs us. Our discernment must be anchored in prayer, informed by Scripture, and strengthened by the sacraments. Like Isaiah, we must have the courage to say, “Here I am! Send me!”; like Jesus, we must be willing to enter the waters, embrace the cross, and trust the Father’s plan.

Therefore, let us rise to our own call. In our homes, parishes, workplaces, and public square, let us speak the truth in love, serve without counting the cost, and intercede for our world with the confidence of those who know the King. This week, take one deliberate step in obedience to God’s prompting a conversation to be had, a wrong to be righted, a work of mercy to be done. Faith without action is sentiment; reason without faith is blindness. But together, faith and reason move us to act in harmony with God’s will. The Lord still asks, “Whom shall I send?” May our answer be as clear and ready as Isaiah’s: “Here I am. Send me!”

A reflection of Charlie Kirk’s life. Cost of discipleship. JC gave us perfect example, not our life. Heed the call in ordinary, simple things. Daily decision to heed the call, loving neighbor, speaking truth in love.

The need for forgiveness, hold on to bitterness and resentment. Hindrance to heed the call. We need to appreciate being forgive as we have been forgiven.

Matthew 18:21-22:

“Then Peter came up and said to him, ‘Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.'”

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