“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart…”  

The first step in discerning your vocation is to engage God in daily prayer. Whenever he was discerning a new step in his life, St. Francis had this beautiful prayer that he would offer:  

Most high, glorious God, Enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me true faith, certain hope, and perfect charity, sense and knowledge, Lord, that I may carry out Your holy and true command.  

God has a plan for your life. Offer this prayer daily, and then be attentive to His voice speaking in Scripture, at Mass, through others, and through the movements of your own heart. On this page, you can also download a free prayer card from Servant of God Father Paul of Graymoor, founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. 

“You shall love your neighbor…”  

Whether you are called to the religious life or to marriage, you are called to lovingly serve others. The question you face when discerning your vocation is, “How am I called to serve?”  

You can’t properly discern marriage unless you actively pursue dating relationships. Similarly, you can’t properly discern the religious life unless you visit the religious communities that attract you. Visiting gives you the chance to talk to the members of the community to learn what drew them there, and what their process of discernment looked like. The insights of the members of the community will give you a unique perspective on your own discernment. 

“…as yourself.”

The call to love your neighbor as yourself means that you must also enter into the depths of your own heart to uncover the talents, desires, and passions that God has placed there. Once you have done this, you can better use them for the service of others.  

One great way to discover your hidden talents, desires, and passions is to keep a daily journal – especially when you are on a retreat or visiting a community. We often forget how we react to our own experiences from one day to another. Keeping a journal and then going back and reviewing it regularly will help give you clarity for your calling.