God Continues to Call Us

by David Lins  |  04/25/2021  |  (Being) Catholic Matters

I recently heard a severely misguided accusation I’ve heard less than ten times in over twenty years of parish work: “The parish staff are only in it for the money!”

Allow me to preface the next paragraph with the following heartfelt disclaimers: Being Director of Faith Formation at Our Lady of Joy is a dream job. I get to spend the majority of my day learning about and passing along the Catholic Faith. I have met and become friends with so many incredible parishioners. I work in an environment that benefits my Faith rather than eroding it. It is a tremendous blessing. Having said that, there are struggles for every parish worker I’ve ministered beside for over two decades.

We are never in it for the pay. (There is a reason I also have a part-time job as an editor and my first novel is available for preorder - email me for details - the bulletin isn’t the place for that. There is also a reason I commute from affordable housing in Tempe.) We also struggle with the varied opinions of the parish. (Think about trying to please every member of your family with a dinner selection - now imagine trying to satisfy the preferences of thousands.) Finally, we all wrestle with imposter syndrome. Let me explain…

No one is holy enough to work at a parish. We all scratch and claw to continue to grow in knowledge, faith, and virtue every day. But we fail. We fall short. We - like you - are sinners just doing our best to do a bit better each day to answer God’s call in our lives.

In the end, none of us are holy enough. And yet...God continues to call us to our various vocations because as I’m sure you’ve heard, “God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.” Every priest. Every religious. Every married person. Every single person. Every. Single. One. Of. Us.

Today’s responsorial psalm says it best: “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” That was Jesus. And that is also how he uses us. As his cornerstone in our jobs and our families.