The Writing On The Wall

If you go to Mass today ( Wednesday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time, 2019) you’ll hear in the first reading from the Book of Daniel about the writing on the wall. It’s a well-known phrase, “the writing on the wall,” and the meaning of the phrase, and the phrase itself comes from this very scripture - an ominous warning to King Belshazzar about the fall of the Babylonian Empire. And that is what the expression means today - an ominous warning or a prediction of something bad that is to come.

I don’t know when I first learned the expression, but I didn’t associate with it misfortune or anything negative until it came up in a scripture class. When I learned the expression, I learned it to mean that something is obvious or very apparent. Now, those who know me well know that I sometimes get these kinds of expressions mixed up - “the elephant in the room” vs “the 800-pound gorilla.”

After college, when I began discerning more seriously, I began meeting with a spiritual director. My spiritual director was a Discalced Carmelite priest that I had known for many years. When I would meet with him, we would discuss my prayer life and how to improve it as well as what I was doing to listen more closely to Christ's call. I was honest with him regarding any issues and struggles and I was able to bring up questions about the faith. Basically, the goal of spiritual direction was to help me follow Jesus more closely in my life. I don’t remember everything that we talked about, but I do remember that he was very patient with me and that he would attentively listen. And, I’m fairly sure that at some point I used the expression “the writing on the wall” to refer to my vocation to the religious priesthood - especially once I realized that I had to take the next step and apply.

I’m not sure what I would have said exactly: “I can see the writing on the wall, I need to ask about the application process.” “I have to try it out, it’s written on the wall.” Regardless of how I said it, looking back, there is a kind of paradox in the statement and it matches with that in religious life. And paradox might be the wrong word here too, but it is the type of life that Jesus calls us to. “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25) “You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” (Luke 21:17-19)

Perhaps it seems that God is keeping your vocation out of sight or that it is staring you in the face. Maybe you think that it is covered up or it is sticking out like a sore thumb. Very few people are completely unsure about what their vocation might be, and conversely, very few people at 100% sure about what their vocation might be, most people are somewhere in the middle. What makes a real difference isn’t where you are on the plane of vocation certainty, but whether or not you make a move. Taking action (reading a book about the topic, visiting a community, finding a spiritual director, growing in your prayer and spiritual life) ensures that you will find the path Jesus has for you.
 

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Take the next step in your discernment. Contact Fr. Francis, O.P. for more information or with questions.