I often say that I fell into teaching. Despite having played teacher as a child (should have been a dead give away honestly), I never actually intended to go into teaching. Sure, there were moments when it crossed my mind in undergrad, but that felt like I just wanted to go with the crowd - I had a lot of teacher friends. Instead, and still fittingly, I received a degree in religion and a degree in Mass Communications. I felt the pull to ministry in grad school so I got an MDiv - originally intending to do campus ministry. But after many twists and turns along the way, I was offered an adjunct teaching position at a time when I had “extra time”. I said “why not” and took it. Three years later, I am now a full time teacher at a high school in Chicago, starting year three.
It is difficult to say when exactly God called me to teaching. Was it those moments in my youth when I was playing pretend? Was it in undergrad? Or was it just when I got the offer to adjunct? Or was it a new calling entirely? Only God can say with certainty. But, regardless of when it happened, I know that I was called by God to teach.
In today’s first reading, seventy elders were called by God to receive the spirit and prophesy. Two are named, Eldad and Medad, as two who were asked to but didn’t attend the “confirmation” where the others received the spirit. Yet, they still received the spirit and still were able to (and did) prophesy. They were called by God to be prophets.
Curiously, we aren’t told why they didn’t attend the “confirmation” (I am using confirmation in our Catholic way - the bestowal of the Holy Spirit - of course, this is not a term that would have existed just yet, hence the quotation marks). We can make some inferences though. Perhaps they were scared to receive such a seemingly arduous task. Looking at the Scriptures as a whole, we know the role of a prophet was difficult. They often went against the grain and were not listened to until it was too late. Perhaps the role they existed in as an elder was comfortable. We all know that new-ness is scary and not many of us can say that we enjoy being uncomfortable. It isn’t strange to agree that for them, choosing to go, to accept the role, would have been difficult. But it seems, they were called anyway.
We are all called by God for a specific purpose. When was the last time you checked in with yourself, with God, about your calling? Maybe what you were once called to is no longer your calling. Maybe, like Eldad and Medad, you are called to take on something bigger, something new. Maybe you are being called to completely course correct. Maybe you are being called to continue on the path you are on. The only way to know is to ask…and then…listen….
Comentarios