“The purpose of life is to discover your gift; the work of life is to develop it; and the meaning of life is to give your gift away.”
Purpose, life, and meaning. These key words in the previous quote have something to do with the concept of vocation. Vocation, as what Buechner and O’Connell have defined, is a “calling to a state of life”; a call from the Lord to give oneself to a certain type of work. Discerning this vocation, or purpose in life, calls us to discover our gifts—skills, abilities, and talents—by responding to the movement of God’s spirit in our daily lives.
However, the concept of vocation has been traditionally associated with priesthood or religious life. This understanding of vocation is limiting: it emphasizes the inclusivity
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We live in the world currently defined by a lot of pain; a world that is complicated and turbulent. As what Mehta said in his speech, we are living in the world that is “profoundly disconnected”; a world that is magical yet at the same time miserable. As a result, finding our purpose and listening to the call of vocation have become vague. Despite this, we are being encouraged to not necessarily be a savior or a redeemer like Christ, but to be wounded healers—to find the voice of gladness notwithstanding its faintness, to find happiness amidst imperfections and the dominance of the voice of evil.
On the one hand, my life journey has been filled with several scenic snapshots. Right now, I am starting to find a clearer image of my future career options through the course I am currently taking. My choice of taking BS Applied Math with specialization in Mathematical Finance as my college degree gave me opportunities not only to relatively excel in academics, but also opened new doors for me to serve in my home organization, the Ateneo Mathematics Society (AMS) and participate in several math and finance-related extra-curricular activities such as competitions and teaching or tutoring