Every autumn I have the opportunity to do a Busy Person’s retreat at a couple of local colleges/universities. I am up at Mercy College of the health sciences in Des Moines, IA, as I write this. A Busy Person’s Retreat is for college students to set aside some time in an already fully packed schedule to stop and listen for the Voice of God in their lives. Each student meets with a spiritual companion for a half hour each day, 4 days in a row. They also try to commit to 30 minutes of prayer/quiet time and have scripture passages and reflection questions to pray with during that time. I am always struck by the sincerity of these students in their effort to allow God a brief opening into their day.

Probably we can all call ourselves busy people. Our jobs, other commitments, and maintaining relationships all demand our attention and time. As we discern a call to religious life, time set apart for God is CRITICAL. As I tell these college students, you have to start out with small steps in the beginning, perhaps 5-10 minutes a day. Then gradually, you can increase the amount as you realize, those things you worry about getting done, are in fact getting done.

I have found in my own life experience and had affirmation from others also, that when I take the time for God, the other things waiting to be done, seem to be accomplished in a quicker amount of time and go more smoothly. I spend less time on a particular project because I have cut into that with a commitment to prayer time and any worries I have that it may get done, seem to ease up.

I would like to close with the following passage from a card I give to students when the week is done. It is a letter that Maryknoll Sister Ita Ford wrote to her niece shortly before she was martyred in El Salvador on December 2, 1980. I think it’s very appropriate for anyone discerning a life vocation:

I hope you come to find that which gives life a deep meaning for you.

Something worth living for --
maybe even worthy dying for --
something that energizes you,
enthuses you,
enables you to keep moving ahead.

I can’t tell you what it might be –
that’s for you to find,
to choose, to love.
I encourage you to start looking,
and support you in your search.