St. Bonaventure (c. 1221-1274), called "The Seraphic Doctor" and "The Prince of Mystics," was a monk, or friar, in the order of the Franciscans - an order of monks derived from St. Francis. He had denied an invitation to be Archbishop of York, in England. This was the highest position of a Bishop, presiding over other Bishops.

St. Bonaventure did not agree to the call, even though the Pope wrote him directly. Possible reasons for St. Bonaventure not accepting the office include continued work in the Franciscan order, the demands of the office, and ill health.

A universal tradition tells of the Prince of Mystics agreement to the call to be Archbishop, finally. He was in a monastery, or friary, working in the kitchen cleaning utensils, when papal representatives came. He kept with his work, even charging perhaps the red hat - worn by Archbishops- offered him be hung on a tree.

When he completed his cleaning, he said, "We have finished the work of the Friar Minor and will find this [new work] more burdensome and dangerous." Then, he received the legates kindly and accepted the red hat of office.

Amos, like St. Bonaventure, was going about his work. He was a shepherd and worked in taking care of trees. Yet, no Pope sent him a letter. He says, "But the Lord called me...."

The Amos passage is unclear in verse 14: “I’m not a professional prophet, and I was never trained to be one. I’m just a shepherd, and I take care of sycamore-fig trees." "Professional" is not in the Hebrew. Amos may be saying, "I'm a prophet, but not a professional one" - that is, part of a guild of prophets. Or, Amos could be denying being a prophet: "I'm not even a prophet; the only reason I'm here is God sent me." In either case, Amos fulfills a prophetic call.

St. Paul shares with the Church in Corinth about gifts of the Spirit for ministry. He writes: But it is the Spirit who does all this and decides which gifts to give to each of us (I Corinthians 1.11, CEV).

The Scripture is affirming there is a sense in which we do not choose our divine calling. This is a mystery and is involved in giving the self to God's Claim on our lives, works, and destiny. The primary symbol and sacrament of this self-giving is baptism.

In Ephesians 4, St. Paul shares, within what may have been one of the earliest Confessions of Faith, reference to the calling to exercise gifts of ministry - vocation: However, he has given each one of us a special gift [lit., a grace] through the generosity of Christ (Ephesians 4.7, NLT). The CEV renders the verse: "Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us."

Vocation is the term for a specific calling to ministry. Every Christian is called and gifted to fulfill a role in the spiritual economy of Christ.

And, as with St. Bonaventure and Amos, we may receive a vocation at any point in life. The question is, "Am I open to receive a specific summons of ministry for Christ?"

Such a call may not entail your being a "professional" minister. And it may not entail your leaving what you now do for a life work. You may be called to accept a spiritual work in addition to the work you now do.

But some of you may have a calling. You may not have "heard" it, for you have not been prepared to. Or you may have not have been willing to "listen." Then, some of you may have received a vocation only to abandon it, in favor of what you esteem a better, more prosperous, or easier way. Others of you may be enjoying the challenges and fulfillment of living a vocation.