Vocation: Another Word for Calling or Purpose?
The word "vocation" comes from the Latin "vocatio," which means "a calling" or "a summons." This Latin term derives from the verb "vocare," meaning "to call."
The concept originally had strong religious connotations. In early Christian usage, "vocatio" referred to God's call to individuals - either a general call to faith or a specific call to religious life, such as becoming a priest, monk, or nun. This divine calling was seen as a summons to serve God in a particular way.
The word entered Middle English through Old French as "vocacioun" in the 14th century, initially maintaining its religious meaning. Over time, the concept gradually expanded beyond purely religious contexts. By the 16th and 17th centuries, "vocation" began to encompass any occupation or profession that someone felt particularly suited for or called to pursue.
The Protestant Reformation played a significant role in this semantic expansion. Protestant theologians, particularly Martin Luther, promoted the idea that all honest work - not just religious service - could be a divine calling. This helped transform "vocation" from an exclusively religious term into one that could describe any meaningful career or life's work.
Today, while "vocation" can simply mean one's occupation or profession, it often retains a sense of purpose or calling - the idea that someone is naturally suited for or deeply committed to their particular line of work. This connection to the original "calling" meaning persists in how we use the word, even in secular contexts.
In formation experiences in Catholic Healthcare we often use the word vocation and its history to lead colleagues through their own origin story. Essentially, they reflect on their purpose and their “why.” As I shared in my previous post, Mission Leaders often ask colleagues, even medical residents, why it is they are doing what they are doing and not something else. I often joked with colleagues and asked, “Why are you a nurse and not a teacher?” or “Why are you a medical assistant and not an engineer?” or “Why did you choose to work in a medical group practice and not in a retail store?” While this did get a laugh or two, it did elicit a moment of pause and reflection. The day-to-day of healthcare is busy and dizzying. Keeping it “all together” is the focus of many colleagues’ experiences and, consequently, they feel detached from their “why.”
It is a difficult balance between remembering our calling with the practical demands of our job. It is not easy. Yet, it is the reality we face. We have created systems of chaos in healthcare. When the system works well, it is seamless. When the system works just ok, you can get by. But, when the system is broken, it is our people who suffer. I will explore the broken system of healthcare in another post, but for now I want to lean into the very local and the very personal experience of working in healthcare.
Many spiritual directors embrace exploratory exercises with directees to uncover where God is calling them in their lives. This is both personal and professional. Understanding vocation in the religious sense means spending time in prayer and contemplation. In that time of reflection, the mind and heart need balance and stillness is essential. Retreats are tools, spiritual directors are guides, and other forms of support are the ingredients to a sound discernment on one’s purpose in life. Recognizing the gifts God has bestowed upon us, upon others, and upon all of creation can help one to step outside themselves and awaken from the disillusionment of one’s ego.
Catholic healthcare offers a profile of tools that can very effectively be translated into secular concepts. As I mentioned, vocation can align with understanding the purpose of one’s “why.” But, what secular reflections lack is that connection to the Common Good and society. When we focus too much on ourselves, we fail to put ourselves in community with others. We become so occupied with our own lives that we fail to explore the gifts and talents of others, which actually make us better! To know one’s shortcomings and to also know another’s strengths is to build a sustainable and effective workplace. Teamwork is important, but it is still individuals in isolation working alongside others. Vocation aligns one’s purpose with another’s in a shared common source. That is God. That is the entirety of Creation. That is love in action in our world. To know our gifts, is only to know them in relation to others.
Interestingly, when I overview this understanding of vocation with colleagues, they disarm and I can see their minds open up to possibility. Their minds shift away from the hustle and bustle of operations to curious ponderings of what unites us to do this shared work of caring for people. Even more interestingly, when diverse groups of people come together (nurses, doctors, medical assistants, front desk colleagues, etc) and they learn of each other’s callings, they see more clearly how they are connected. Each person typically enjoys being a part of a patient's story, but each person’s role is so different and there are power differentials at play. Formation around vocation equalizes that power differential and invites vulnerability, if one lets oneself open up to others.
When this formation experience ends, I often receive positive feedback from surveys and even get an email or two from specific colleagues who found the time together transformative. The offices that do well with this formation often have solid patient experience scores. The offices that engage in this vulnerability often are exemplary in communication and see stronger employee satisfaction survey results. It is all connected. So, ask yourself about your origin story. Why are you called to your particular profession? What is your purpose? How do you see your calling connected to the greater good - vocation? And, most importantly, as we walk together on this earth, how do you see yourself in relationship to others?
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