More times than I care to remember, I have had parishioners over my many years in ministry who have felt that if they were to truly do the work of God, they needed to go to seminary and be an ordained clergy. They sing the popular hymn named after the last verse of today’s reading and then want to march forth into servanthood.
It is as if they are not understanding that they already are doing the work of God in the place and space they are in. Living out our vocation in our everyday life, whatever that vocation is, is but one way God calls us and sends us out to serve and proclaim the gospel, the good news.
In this understanding, we come to believe in the “priesthood of all believers,” which is that we are all ministers whether we are ordained or not, and we all have an important role to play in the sharing of God’s Word and caring for God’s creation.
God of new life, open my heart and touch my lips so that wherever in life you send me to do your work I will always feel that this is where the Holy Spirit guides me, and this is my calling in life at this time. Amen. —