from the Heart

Vocation and Profession

What would be the different between vocation and profession? I stumble across this question when I ask my friend, “Why do you want to be a medical doctor?” She replies, “Actually to be an accountant is my first option, not really a doctor.” Her answer does not surprise since she is not the first doctor who brings up that to me. Yet, I know that my follow-up question would be significantly more crucial, “You know that it is not your first option, and you need to sacrifice many things to become a doctor, but why do you still struggle to stay put being a doctor?” Her answer excites me. “I feel an inner peace and joy every time a patient sincerely says thanks. I know that all my efforts and labors to help them recover have been fruitful one.” After she says her last piece, I immediately shift the topic of conversation to avoid the same questions bounce back to me!

My spiritual director, echoing the insight of Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP, says that it is fine to enter for the wrong reason, but we need to have a right reason to stay. We may become a doctor, a teacher, and even a brother for a wrong reason, but it does not matter since it does not define who we are. What matters is that we stay put for a right reason. This reason empowers and emboldens us to hurdle even those extremely difficult situations and still we find a little piece of happiness in this midst of tribulation. This reason is what we call vocation.

Unlike profession, vocation knows no time limit. A mother cannot say that she would be a mother every weekday from 8 AM to 5 PM only! Or in an emergency situation, a doctor cannot say, “Oh look for another doctor. I am having weekend off! Or, a priest cannot simply become a priest only every weekend yet play with girls every weekday! Vocation is life-long commitment and precisely it defines who we are.

Unlike profession, vocation knows no career. Well, a husband cannot expect that he would be the majority stock holder and earn billions from his marriage. Definitely there are certain ranks and academic positions one can attain, but most of the teachers especially in the Philippine and Indonesian context, will remain simple and ordinary teachers throughout their lives. I myself cannot determine that after 20 years, I would grab the rectorship of Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas! Most likely, I would turn to be simple brother for the entire of my life. Vocation is sacrifice and it precisely defines who we are.

If vocation does not give anything good, but why do people stand their ground to their chosen vocation? It is simply because vocation brings us something that even the best profession could not offer. It is to discover that after all the struggles and disfigured realities we have to endure, our life is not a waste at all, but it has been a meaningful and fruitful one. In the world of education, the greatest reward a teacher can earn is not bulk of money or brand-new BMW, but to see his students succeed in life and even surpass him.

Vocation is not about earning wealth, glory or power, it is about profound fulfillment of helping people grow and flourish. It is a joy of serving and loving others. This is why St. Therese of Lisieux says that her vocation is to love. Every one of us is called to love no matter profession we have.
 

 Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP