Every one of us is unique. Nobody else has my exact characteristics, my DNA, voice, eye-pattern, finger-prints. Others may be able to replace me in the work I do or the responsibilities I carry, but nobody can take my place in the world, in God's creation, in my relationships. We each have a unique calling, from God our creator, as human beings and as Christians. We have our particular roles and destiny. So, perhaps without being aware of it, each of us has our personal 'vocation' story, about how God has called and continues to call us. It's a story each of us should cherish and try to understand better.

Today's gospel reading may help self-reflection. We're shown three different "samples' of calling. The first is of someone approaching Jesus, wanting to follow Him and be with Him. In the second incident, it's Jesus himself who calls the person to follow Him. But the man isn't ready or detached enough to do so yet, and wants to postpone his response. Jesus reminds him of the urgency of his duty towards spreading God's kingdom. The third case is again someone who offers to follow Jesus, but he puts a condition to it, something he wants to do first. To him Jesus says that following Him is a priority commitment and self-offering that requires determination and perseverance. So, what's the story about my following of Jesus?