Years ago my friend left a high-paying job in order to work in a nearby Catholic school. He felt that God was calling him to a different lifestyle and took practical steps to follow that call. In the Quaker tradition, this is often referred to as a "leading" from the Lord. Easy to feel, difficult to follow. Unfortunately for my friend, it didn't work out and he returned to the financial industry within two years.

Do I support a person when they are drawn towards doing work that feels more religious? Of course. And yet, it's worth noting reflecting on what the former Pontiff John Paul II said in 1987:

"Two temptations can be cited which they have not always known how to avoid: the temptation of being so strongly interested in Church services and tasks that some fail to become actively engaged in their responsibilities in the professional, social, cultural and political world; and the temptation of legitimizing the unwarranted separation of faith from life, that is, a separation of the Gospel's acceptance from the actual living of the Gospel in various situations in the world. (CL 2)"

What John Paul II is saying here is that one's work is vital, important and essential for changing the world. Where this work happens is largely subjective. I happen to work for the Church but that same friend I mentioned earlier is doing God's will just as much in his secular job. He's honest, works hard and makes a difference right where he is.

You don't necessarily have to work for the Church in order to do God's will. He needs great plumbers, salesmen, executives and stay at home moms. Sometimes, right where they are.

*Photo by Acaben