This week I want to do something a little different.

We’ve talked A LOT about being called. We’ve said that the laity is called to:

• the universal call to holiness
• evangelize and sanctify the secular
• participate in our parish and help build up the Church

But if we don’t take a second to look at what being called is really all about, this might look like an overwhelming list of tasks instead of gifts that the Lord grants us.

So, what does it really mean to be called by God?

Well, to begin with JPII says that “every disciple is called by name”.

At first that might seem like just a nice pious statement, but there’s actually something really important hidden in these words.

“Called BY NAME”. When the Lord calls us, He calls us PERSONALLY. He speaks directly to you—He knows YOUR name.

God isn’t a big distant bureaucrat in the sky who blindly imposes rules that are impossible to comply with. Instead, He is the Father who has counted every hair on your head and will wipe away every tear from your eyes  (Lk. 12:7; Rev. 21:4).

He sees us as we are—in our brokenness but also in our wholeness. He knows who we really are and who He made us to be.

• He calls you to holiness because He knows you can be holy.
• He calls you to evangelize because He knows  you can transform the world.
• He calls you to build up the Church because He knows you have something only you can give.

His call is an invitation to become that person, not a cold burden that is imposed. To each one of us He says, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name: you are mine.” (Is. 43:1).

His call is a gift and  JPII says that when we really hear it, we can’t help but respond.