Discerning Vocations to the Apostolic Life, the Contemplative Life, and the Eremitic Life

by Marie Theresa Coombs, Francis Kelly Nemeck OMI

Overview

Throughout the spiritual journey, God's love engenders within every Christian active, contemplative, and solitary inclinations. Consequently, each person wants to do some good, to have a basic receptivity to God, and at times to be alone with God. As life unfolds, God's love also calls forth within a person an overriding attraction toward one of those three orientations, which in due course impels the individual toward a corresponding vocational lifestyle: an apostolic life, a contemplative life, or an eremitic life. In this book, the authors identify the core features of those three vocational lifestyles. In light of each vocational core, they then discuss an ensemble of signs and patterns that point to an authentic calling from God. This study offers wisdom and insight to those pondering the mystery of their personal vocations, to those discerning their vocational direction, and to spiritual directors, formation personnel, ecclesial leadership, and Christian educators who accompany them in their quest.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781532634222
Publisher:	Cascade Books
Publication date:	09/25/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	262
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Marie Theresa Coombs, Hermit, lives as a canonically recognized hermit at Lebh Shomea, a contemplative-eremitical house of prayer in the desert region of South Texas. She earned a PhD in Theological Studies from Graduate Theological Foundation, Indiana. She has coauthored and authored books in the areas of theology and spirituality. She has extensive experience as a spiritual director.



Francis Kelly Nemeck, OMI (+2014) taught theology in the United States and Canada, and did missionary work in Texas and Mexico. He earned a doctorate in spirituality from Les Facultés Catholiques de Lyon. From 1973 to 2013 he lived a contemplative life at Lebh Shomea House of Prayer. He coauthored and authored books on themes related to theology and spirituality. For over five decades, assistance to persons seeking spiritual direction was integral to his priestly ministry.

Marie Theresa Coombs lives as a canonically recognized hermit at Lebh Shomea, a contemplative-eremitical house of prayer in the desert region of south Texas. She earned a Ph.D. in Theological Studies from Graduate Theological Foundation, South Bend, Indiana. Besides co-authoring several books on prayer and spirituality, she is a frequented spiritual director.
Fr. Francis Kelly Nemeck, O.M.I., has taught theology in the United States and Canada, besides having missionary and pastoral experience in Texas and Mexico. He earned a doctorate in spirituality from Les Facultes Catholiques de Lyon in France. Since 1974 he has served as director of Lebh Shomea, has authored and coauthored several books, and is a frequented spiritual director.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xiii

Abbreviations xv

General Notes xvii

Introduction 1

Part 1 Fundamental Notions

1 Three General Vocational Lifestyles 9

The Need to Discern God's Calling 10

Interrelatedness of the General Lifestyles 12

Lifestyle Synergism 13

The Focus of Vocational Discernment 14

2 The Apostolic Lifestyle 16

The Apostolate 17

The Apostolic Life 18

Alternate Phrases: Activity, Active, and the Active Life 19

The Unique Position of the Apostolic Life 20

Influences upon the Formation of an Apostolic Life 21

Related Distinctions 22

3 The Contemplative Lifestyle 24

Contemplation in Reference to the Contemplative Life 24

The Contemplative Life as Understood in this Study 27

Those Called to This Lifestyle 28

Contemplative Life in Relation to Monastic Life 29

A Contemplative Vocation within an Apostolic Institute 30

Contemplative and Apostolic: Two Additional Paradoxes 31

Being Contemplative and Being a Contemplative 31

4 The Eremitic Lifestyle 33

The Designation "the Eremitic life" 34

Expressions of the Eremitic Vocation 35

Misconceptions about Hermit and Eremitic Life 36

Two Similar, but Distinct Callings 37

Part 2 The Apostolic Life

5 Biblical Roots of the Concept Apostolic 43

Key Biblical Terms for Mission 43

Insights from the Hebrew Scriptures 44

New Testament Teachings 44

6 Historical Perspectives on the Concept Apostolic 48

Christian Antiquity 48

Medieval Times 48

The Sixteenth Century Onward 49

The Seventeenth Century 50

Contemporary Times: Vatican II and Beyond 50

7 Discernment of a Vocation to the Apostolic Life 55

An Inclination toward Service 57

A Need to Use a Personal Charism 57

A Corresponding Need within a Community 60

Recognition of the Limits of Ministry 60

Formation of an Apostolic Lifestyle around Ministry 61

Explicit Christocentric Quality in Ministry 62

Growth in the Contemplative Dimension of Apostolic Living 64

8 Apostolic Expressions of Christian Virtues 67

Love 68

Community 69

Faith 70

Hope 70

Receptivity and Obedience to God 71

Prayerfulness 72

Holistic Orientation 73

Study 73

Poverly 74

Leisure 75

Self-Sacrifice 76

9 Concluding Pastoral Observations on the Apostolic Life 77

Part 3 The Contemplative Life

10 A Christocentric and Trinitarian Love 83

The Profound, Intimate, Loving Relationship with Jesus 84

A Sense of the Indwelling Trinity 90

11 Communion with God in Daily Life 92

Contemplation 92

A Distinctive Contemplative Orientation to Life 95

Peaceful Acquiescence in Mystery 96

12 The Quest for Solitude 99

The Womb of Society 100

The Process of Being Born into Solitude 101

The Contemplative as a Marginal Person 103

Questions for Discernment 104

Three Situations for Discernment 106

13 Solitary Life in a Communal Setting 109

A Celibate Context 110

The Context of Marriage 111

14 A Contemplative Vocation within an Apostolic Institute 114

The Initial Response of the Apostolic Community 114

Leaderships Difficulty in Discernment 115

Three Initiatives in the Discernment Process 116

Possible Contemplative Living Situations 117

Pastoral Recommendations 117

A Final Recommendation 120

15 Contemplative Receptivity to God 122

An Integrating Prayer Life 123

Solitary Prayer 125

Silence and Solitude 126

Simplicity of Heart 129

Stability in Life 130

16 A Contemplative Stance in Activity 134

Leisure 135

Study 136

Manual Labor 137

Ministry 138

17 Emotional Maturity in the Contemplative Life 142

Stress Management 142

Certain Contraindicative Trails 144

Holistic Growth 145

18 Love of Neighbor in the Contemplative Life 147

Love of Neighbor for a Celibate Contemplative 147

Love of Neighbor for a Married Contemplative 155

19 Concluding Pastoral Observations on the Contemplative Life 157

Readiness to Enter the Contemplative Life 157

Transition to the Contemplative Life 158

Perseverance in the Contemplative Life 160

Commitment in faith 161

Emancipation 162

The Contemplative Vocation as Mystery 163

Part 4 The Eremitic Life

20 The Process of Being Bora into Eremitic Solitude 169

Toward a More Accurate Use of Certain Terms 169

Two Prerequisite Vocational Experiences 171

Contexts for Living the Eremitic Life 173

Movement into Eremitic Solitude: Four Phases of Transition 174

21 An Increasing Solitary Thrust in Life 179

The Yearning for More Solitude 179

Eremitic Solitude 180

Positive Signs 180

Countersigns 181

22 Life in a Hermitage 185

Practical Pastoral Approaches 185

Daily Life in a Hermitage 187

23 Eremitic Being-In-Love with God 192

Love of God 192

Person-Centered Focus 194

Acceptance of Silence and Solitude 195

Ability to Live in the Present 197

Carefreeness 198

24 Eremitic Love of People 201

Basic Maturity in Human Development 201

Interaction with People 203

Intimacy with Loved Ones 205

25 Eremitic Love of the Natural World 209

Earth as Sacred Grounding 210

Communion with Creation in and through God 210

Communion with God through Creation 212

Renewal within the Natural World 213

The Providential Role of the Natural World 215

One Family of God Sharing a Common Home 216

26 Participation in the Paschal Mystery 218

Acceptance of the Cross 219

Self-Knowledge 222

Acedia 224

Insatiability 226

27 Concluding Pastoral Observations on the Eremitic Life 228

The Transition to the Eremitic Fife 228

Summary of the Principles of Discernment 229

Perseverance as Gift 230

Eremitic Rapport with Society 232

Final Commitment 234

A New Creation 236

Select Bibliography 239

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Marie Coombs and Kelly Nemeck deftly take us from what we know about vocation to what they know, a place of depth and wisdom that expands our perceptions of how God works within us. This book is for people who both seek to discern their own vocation and help others discern theirs. The signposts of an authentic calling from God are particularly helpful. The authors live where the rest of us visit, and guide us to embrace God’s deeper, expansive purpose.”

—Kim Cape, General Secretary of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church

Editorial Reviews

Marie Coombs and Kelly Nemeck deftly take us from what we know about vocation to what they know, a place of depth and wisdom that expands our perceptions of how God works within us. This book is for people who both seek to discern their own vocation and help others discern theirs. The signposts of an authentic calling from God are particularly helpful. The authors live where the rest of us visit, and guide us to embrace God’s deeper, expansive purpose.”

—Kim Cape, General Secretary of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church

From the Publisher