You don't have to be certain of your vocation to try it out. God will not be outdone in generosity, if you give him some time in genuine reflection and discernment, he will make it up to you ten fold.

What does a calling feel like?

Many potential vocations are afraid that they might not notice the way God is calling them. But this fear is needless. God knows you as his child perfectly. He does not need help communicating. He speaks to each of us in a way perfectly crafted for us. Some of us are attracted by an overwhelming desire to immerse ourselves in the incarnate Christ. Others of us experienced a dryness and a dissatisfaction with world and a gnawing for something more. Still others of us felt nothing, and just encountered the overwhelming truth that this was the best way we could serve God. Provided you are open and seeking his will, you will hear his voice.

Your vocation is something that will satisfy the deepest desires of your heart. If being a traveling preacher would be agonizing for you, you probably are not called to it. If being a silent Carthusian would torture you, its probably not your vocation.  Its not a riddle, and its not a trap. You are allowed to ask yourself, “would this kind of life make me happy?” But also keep in mind, most vocations find that what they expected to find challenging was not the most difficult for them. The only way to truly know is to try it out. So, if you have been experiencing a stubborn desire or curiosity, come give monastic life a try and see for yourself whether it leaves you at peace or not.

A common concern among young men interested in pursuing a religious vocation is a fear that, “Im not holy enough to be a monk yet.” But the fact of the matter is that monasteries are not homes of the saints but rather refugees for sinners. We do not take vows because we are perfect, we take them in order to become perfect. Otherwise we wouldn’t need vows. Yes, you aren’t perfect, but God isn’t waiting for you to be perfect to call you or to love you. He isn’t waiting for you to become perfect to receive your vocation. Your vocation is God’s chosen path for you to achieve holiness and perfection. 

With this in mind, it may be helpful to consider choosing a monastery or a religious order that will assist you in your path to holiness. For example, if you know that you are tempted to laziness, having a stricter schedule may be useful as opposed to a very fluid schedule. 

The vocation of consecrated celibacy and contemplation of God is objectively superior to any other call. (But don’t confuse this with being an objectively superior person) A good rule of thumb in discernment is to choose the highest form of life that you are capable of. If you are capable of living a life in total contemplation of God then do it!

As someone who has never been a monk, it may not be immediately obvious what to look for in a monastery. The first place to look is the Horarium (schedule). Can you manage the prayer load? Does it have enough prayer to satisfy your capacity? Does it involve enough time for activity? Another place to look at the size of the community. A small community might provide an intimate community that is hard to get lost in, while a larger community might provide more varied interaction. Finally a good place to look is the work that the community does. Here at Saint Louis Abbey our work takes many forms, preaching, teaching, manual labor etc. Our work is serving the people of Saint Louis in whatever form that takes.