"When Love Calls, You'd Better Answer..."

"When love calls, you'd better answer, cause it might be a big mistake, if you decide to hesitate..." The lyrics to this 1989 hit by Atlantic Starr truly resonate in this powerful witness to the Love of God's Calling in our lives.

Refreshing, to say the least, was a report of a young man leaving a potentially lucrative career in Major League Baseball to pursue a ‘higher calling’ in the Roman Catholic Priesthood.

It was reported by Fox Sports that Oakland A’s Minor League Prospect Grant Desme is officially retiring from Major League Baseball at the age of 23 to pursue a calling to not play against the Angels, Cardinals and Padres, but to join the Catholic A-Team of men, called to the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

Ranked by Baseball America as the A’s 8^th best prospect, Desme has chosen to forgo perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, in pursuing a calling to the Roman Catholic Priesthood, which is a refreshing bit of positive news in this truly relativistic and cynical world we currently live in.

Thousands of unknown young men have chosen to give their lives to the calling of the Priesthood and we thank them ALL for their gift to the Church in giving up a secular life; and with singling out Mr. Desme does not in any way diminish or lessen the sacrifice of other unnoticeable young men, but for someone to give up a life of potential luxury, fame, fortune, and secular glory is truly amazing and wonderful to read.

This is a true example of what not only our Church needs, but an example to the entire world, that God’s calling is more important than all the wealth and riches ‘this world’ can give. It seems as Mr. Desme is willing to sign the ultimate contract with the ultimate “A-Team” of God’s Chosen.

“The Year of the Priest” will officially conclude in Rome on or about June 11, 2010, in which we have and continue to celebrate and honor these Warriors of Christ, that have given up everything (secular) to receive what most feel is nothing; to live in austere conditions, living a celibate and chaste life, giving up marriage, even perhaps a vow of poverty, all for the Greater Glory of God; what a powerful and Glorious witness to the Power of the Calling of Christ in a young man’s life.

When the world tells us we can be anything we want, we must fend for ourselves, we must take our portion of the ‘dream’ that is rightfully ours; we see in not only this example, but literally the hundreds of thousands of unnamed Desme’s around the world, who have chosen to be concerned with the only “I” that matters; the “I” in Christ, who tells us that He will strengthen us when we are weak; He is the Way in our lives when we see other ways; it is the “I” in Christ that is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last; and it is the “I” in Christ that leads all humanity to Eternal Glory and Peace.

"Here I stand with open arms, I'm offerin' my love to you; I want to do for you, all the things you want me to do" - I pray these lyrics from this song would be Prophet Words of Christ's calling not only to Desme, but to millions more young men around the world. Answer the Call of God in your life and let Him do all, you want Him to do for you!

So let us take not only this moment in time to celebrate the hundreds of thousands of men that have chosen answer God's Call in their lives and chosen the “I’s” in Christ; to the ‘real’ Padres and Cardinals, we say; “Thank you” for giving up everything, so that WE, the People of God, might receive Eternal Life. God’s continued Blessings & Peace to all.

Catholic Evangelist Richard Lane,

Qorban Ministries

www.CatholicEvangelist.net

*Note - Original reporting of this article was on Fox Sports. Lyrics from the Song courtesy of Rhapsody.