Submitted by Matthew Smith<\/p>\n
My name is Matthew Smith and I am a seminarian for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester. I have been visiting the parishes of Tioga County as a summer assignment. With the busy schedule associated with priesthood, I thought it would be good to give Fr. Muscatella a break. As a visitor to Tioga County these last six weeks, one consolation I have had so (seemingly) far from my home in Rochester, N.Y. is that people are more or less the same everywhere if you take the time to get to know them.<\/p>\n
It is never easy being the new person in town, nor is it always easy to welcome the stranger, but the fine people of Tioga County have been most kind and welcoming of this stranger in their midst. In welcoming me into their lives these last six weeks, the people of Blessed Trinity and St. Patrick’s Parish have answered a call that is common to all people. That call is to care for one another and reflect the love that Jesus Christ has for us onto his fellow man.<\/p>\n
This is called a vocation. Everyone has a vocation or \u201ccalling\u201d. For some of us, we are called to be a spouse or a parent. Others are called to a career life, or the life of a caregiver, and for some, the life of a consecrated religious, or priesthood. God has given each one of us a calling in life. It is our job to discover our calling and to pursue it for God’s glory and our wellbeing. Figuring out our life’s vocation can be more accurately referred to as discernment. As a seminarian, my state in life is to discern a life in the Priesthood of the Catholic Church. While some people I have encountered have been so generous with their praise over my discerning priesthood, I would just like to point out that I am not doing anything beyond what everyone else in this life is charged with doing, regardless of their background. Like everyone else, I am trying to do what it is that God is calling me to do. All vocations when lived fully and in truth are to be cherished.<\/p>\n
We are all called to a life of holiness. My brothers and sisters, never downplay the work that you or others around you do. God has a plan for your life, and you do not know how all your experiences will come together to prepare you for the great things God has in store for you. Jeremiah 29:11 says this, \u201cFor know well the plans I have in mind for you… plans for your welfare, not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.\u201d I spent twelve years working in a restaurant and changed majors in college twice; never would I have imagined myself during that time as studying for priesthood, and yet those experiences have helped me to better relate to people who might think that a priest would never understand their situation. Priests are people too, who experience the same struggles that make all of us human. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses that shape the way that we relate to one another and the vocation we are given.<\/p>\n
Make no mistake friends, I am still discerning God’s call for my life. I am still not sure that Priesthood is God’s answer for my life, but I do feel that I am where God wants me right now, and that is good enough for me. I know that union with God in Heaven is my goal and although I do not fully see the way there, all I need is to see the next step and trust that the Lord will get me there. Wherever you are in life, trust that God makes \u201call things work for good for those who love God\u201d (Romans 8:28). I want to thank all the kind people I have encountered in Tioga County for their hospitality towards me as well as to encourage everyone to seek out your vocation in life and know that you are not alone. We are all journeying together towards God who is our light and salvation.<\/p>\n
Matthew Smith is a Seminarian on assignment at Blessed Trinity and St. Patrick’s Parishes.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Submitted by Matthew Smith My name is Matthew Smith and I am a seminarian for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester. I have been visiting…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":110836,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-110835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial"],"yoast_head":"\n