Understanding Vocation: Am I Called to Be a Priest?

Archimandrite Fr. Barouyr Shernezian

Group of 5 Armenian Priests in the courtyard of the Mediterranean Hotel, Jerusalem.

Let me begin with this: every one of us has a God-given vocation. Vocation is what makes our lives meaningful. It answers the deepest questions we all carry: Why was I born? For what purpose? Why has God given me this life?

We live in a world where so much energy goes into making money, building families, securing investments, ensuring safety, and preparing for the future. All of these are important and good in themselves — there is nothing wrong with them. But beyond these concerns, we must also ask: What is the purpose of my life? Why am I here? What is God calling me to?

To answer this, we must turn to the Holy Bible, because it shows us clearly that every human being is called for a purpose. In the Old Testament, God called Abraham and his descendants, not only to live blessed lives, but also to participate in His divine plan. The first great vocation was Abraham’s: God promised him descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sand on the seashore (Genesis 22:17). But this was more than a promise — it was a covenant. A covenant means cooperation: God provides His grace, His guidance, and His promise, but human beings are called to respond and to work with Him. God did not create us as passive beings but as co-workers with Him.

We see this covenant unfold throughout Scripture. God led His people out of slavery in Egypt and promised them the land of Canaan. That land was more than territory — it was a foreshadowing of the ultimate heavenly kingdom revealed in Christ. But even before that kingdom was revealed, the people of Israel were organized into twelve tribes, descended from Jacob’s twelve sons. Each tribe had a role to play in God’s plan.

·       The tribe of Levi was set apart for priesthood and temple service — they were entrusted with the nation’s worship and spiritual life.

·       The tribe of Judah carried the responsibility of leadership and kingship — from them would come King David, and ultimately the Messiah.

·       The other tribes — Reuben, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin — each received their own land and responsibilities: agriculture, military service, economy, and the safeguarding of Israel’s identity as God’s people.

In this way, vocation was distributed among the tribes: different roles, but one purpose — to fulfill God’s promise together.

But as we know, Israel struggled. The tribes divided, kingdoms fell, and the covenant was often broken. Yet God did not abandon His people. In the New Testament, everything that was scattered comes together and is perfected in Jesus Christ. He is the High Priest, the true King, the Shepherd, the Prophet — the One who unites in Himself all the vocations of Israel. And just as Jacob’s twelve sons became the foundation of Israel, Jesus called twelve apostles to become the foundation of His Church — the new people of God. Their mission was to establish God’s kingdom on earth by preaching the Gospel and witnessing to the Resurrection.

This teaches us something essential: vocation is not about having perfect abilities. Many of the greatest figures in Scripture felt unqualified:

·       Moses had a “heavy tongue” and could not speak well, yet God called him to stand before Pharaoh (Exodus 4:10).

·       Isaiah cried out, “I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5), until God purified him with a burning coal.

·       Jeremiah protested, “I am too young” (Jeremiah 1:6), but God put His words in the young prophet’s mouth.

In each case, God showed that vocation is not based on human ability but on divine calling and empowerment. If God calls you, He also equips you.

So what does this mean for us today?A priestly or ministerial vocation begins when a person is touched by the Word of God. Ministry is not just a job to perform — it is a response to an encounter. You first receive the Gospel in your heart, and only then can you pass it on to others. That passing-on is not limited to preaching or teaching; it is also pastoral, fatherly, and embodied in love. It means being a living witness of God’s presence among His people.

And this vocation is never “complete” in the sense of knowledge or training. A priest — indeed any Christian — must remain a lifelong learner. Just as faith is a journey, so is vocation. We grow into it, day by day, with God’s grace, learning more and more how to be His co-workers in the world.

Vocation is a divine calling. It is not simply about fitting service into your daily schedule, but about making your entire life a response to God’s invitation. To have a vocation means to live each day with the purpose of bringing God’s kingdom into people’s lives — and to do so until your last breath.

This can be difficult to understand, because many people feel drawn to serve the Church but wonder: Is my love and desire enough if I remain a deacon? Or is God calling me to take another step — to embrace the priesthood as a way of life?

Before we go deeper into that question, there is a mindset we must hold onto: neither the difficulties of priestly lifeshould discourage you, nor should the respect, honor, or love shown by the people be the reason you pursue it. The priestly calling lives somewhere between those two extremes. It is not about chasing benefits, nor is it about running from burdens.

Priesthood certainly requires ability — but the truth is, the ability comes from God. If He calls you, He also equips you. You cannot judge your vocation merely by your natural talents or weaknesses. What matters is the call itself, and when God calls, there is no higher invitation.

Think of it this way: if the President of a country personally invited you to a meeting in the White House, you would not say, “Sorry, I’m too busy with work.” You would drop everything, because the one inviting you holds great honor. Now, if this is true on a human level, how much greater is the invitation when it comes from God Himself? His calling is above every other voice in life.

So how can we recognize the priestly vocation? The first sign is this: being touched by the Word of God. A vocation cannot simply come from your parents saying, “You’d make a good priest.” That may be encouraging, but it is not the foundation. The true call must be felt when God’s Word pierces your heart.

Then comes the second sign: the desire to share that Word with others. This desire is not something you can ignore or postpone. It presses on you. You feel that you must begin, in any way possible, to pass the Word on. And “passing on the Word” does not mean only preaching or teaching. For Christians, the Word of God is not just an idea — it is an incarnate reality in our lives. That means living the Gospel through love, compassion, service, sacrifice, and daily witness.

Service is the language of love. Think about human love: if you truly love your spouse, you do not hesitate to sacrifice for them. In the same way, when you are in love with God, you are ready to give of yourself completely — to serve Him and His people, no matter the cost. That is how vocation becomes real: when love moves you to action, and that action becomes your whole life.

After the desire to serve God comes the crucial stage of discernment. Discernment is the process of confirming whether your sense of vocation is truly from God. It requires prayer, silence, reflection, and sometimes periods of solitude. You ask God for a sign to show you, if this is your calling. It is not enough to simply feel, “I think I have a vocation.” Discernment allows God to confirm that vocation in your heart and through the guidance of the Church/Priest/Mentor.

I can share from my own experience: when I first felt the call to serve, I prayed for confirmation. I asked God for a sign, and through prayer, He gave me clarity and peace. Sometimes this clarity comes through a spiritual guide, a mentor, or simply through perseverance in prayer and study.

This is why I often spend many sessions with candidates, helping them discern whether their sense of vocation is genuine and sustainable. Because priesthood is a lifelong commitment — it is not an ordinary career. It is divine. Once God gives you the gift of priesthood through ordination, it marks you forever. Even in retirement, you remain a priest, because the grace and authority of ordination are never taken away.

So, if you are discerning, here are some questions to reflect on:

1. Questions about Relationship with God

• Do I experience joy and peace when I spend time in prayer?

• Do I hunger for the Word of God and the sacraments?

• Do I sense that God is inviting me to a deeper, lifelong commitment?

• When I hear about the priesthood, does my heart feel drawn closer to Christ?

2. Questions about Service

• Do I feel a strong desire to serve others, especially in their spiritual needs?

• Do I naturally find myself consoling, guiding, or praying for people?

• Do I feel compassion for the broken, the poor, and the forgotten?

• Do I see priestly ministry not as a “job,” but as a life of service and sacrifice?

3. Questions about Inner Disposition

• Am I willing to give my whole life to God, without keeping anything back?

• Do I see challenges and sacrifices as obstacles, or as part of the gift of the priesthood?

• Am I humble enough to be corrected, taught, and formed by the Church?

• Do I desire recognition, or is my deeper desire to serve quietly and faithfully?

4. Questions about Community and the Church

• Do I love the Church as my family, even when I see her weaknesses?

• Do I feel at home in the liturgy, the sacraments, and the life of the Church?

• Do others (priests, mentors, faithful people) see qualities of a vocation in me?

• Do I trust that the Church’s discernment process will confirm or redirect my call?

5. Practical Discernment Questions

• Can I live celibacy with joy and freedom (if called to it), or do I sense marriage is my path?

• Am I ready to dedicate myself to lifelong study, prayer, and pastoral care?

• Am I willing to live simply, depending on God’s providence?

• If the priesthood is not God’s call for me, am I still open to serving Him in another way?

Discernment means imagining yourself in the “robe of priesthood” and asking: Does this bring me joy? Does this fill my heart with life?

In the Armenian Church, there are two main ways of living out a priestly vocation: as a celibate priest or as a married priest. Both are sacred callings, and both serve the Church, but they differ in how one lives and expresses that calling.

St. Paul speaks of this in his letters: “For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. ⁸ But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; ⁹ but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion” (1 Corinthians 7:7-9). Some people are able to live a life of celibacy, dedicating themselves entirely to God, often in monastic communities or in parish service without the responsibilities of a household. Others, however, are called to marriage. They need the companionship of a spouse, and with the love and support of their family, they serve the Church.

This means each of us must ask: Who am I? How has God shaped me? Can I live a life alone, relying fully on God’s strength? Or do I need a partner in life to face its challenges? Celibacy is a total dedication to the Church, while married priesthood carries a double dedication: to family and to parish. But married priests are no less holy or less committed. They, too, are called to holiness — and their path to sanctity comes through both their family life and their ministry.

I remember when His Holiness, the Catholicos, asked me in my ordination interview: “Why do you want to become a priest?” I answered: “Because I find more joy in serving God than in anything else.” That joy is deeper than any worldly happiness. It is the joy of knowing you are living the life God intended for you.

I pray that you, too, may find your vocation — whether in priesthood, in marriage, in monastic life, or in another path. May God guide you to discover the purpose He has planted in you, so that you may live with true meaning and joy.

Here is a prayer written by me, if you are seeking discernment for your calling:

O Lord, I want to understand the calling given to me by you, so that I can determine the path of my life. I am confused because I did not know if you really gave me the ecclesiastical calling to serve you. I love to serve you very much, Lord, and I want to show it throughout my life, but am I called to serve as an anointed church member? I know that evil also takes advantage of the opportunity and wants to cloud my mind with unnecessary thoughts. Lord, help me find my calling. Help me, Lord, so that I can find your light, so that I can see and choose the right path with your light, because I want to fulfill your will.

Lord, call me, as you called your disciples, and I am ready to come wherever you want. I too, Lord, am ready to follow you and become a preacher of your great Word, to dedicate my life and sacrifice everything for you. However, Lord, my steps are faltering. I want to hear the sound of your call. Show me, Lord, which path I should choose.

Do not allow, Lord, glory to deceive me or difficulties and sufferings frighten me, but only look to you as the goal of life. Do not allow, Lord, any other concern or thought weighing in my mind to decide what I shall be or what I shall do. Help me, so that my thoughts and concerns are cleansed by fire and only your call is placed in me, because I do not want any milestone in my life, whether happy or sad, full of successes or failures, to change my path and leave the priesthood. I want to be firm, self-confident, and unwavering in my decision, Lord, because I want to approach your sanctities with complete zeal.

Lord, make me worthy of listening to your calling. In whatever way you want to communicate your calling to me, Lord, do so, but keep me spiritually awake, so that I can hear your word or see your sign. I put all my priorities aside, Lord, I place them under your feet. Let only your voice guide me so that I can correct my life according to your good will. If you call, Lord, I am ready to sacrifice my life as an only child to your glory like Abraham. If you call, I am ready, like Peter the Apostle, to abandon fishing as a worldly work and “become a fisher of men.” If you call, I am ready, like Moses, to stand in front of the pharaoh and bear his persecutions for your glory. Yes, Lord, let my thoughts and decisions be only for your glory and let my ego have no say in any way. Because only your glory enjoys all kinds of honor, blessing, and power, now and always and forever and ever. Amen.