Ears to Hear

The word “vocation” may conjure up images of clergy in black suits, bishops in pointed hats, and monks in long robes. But they’re not the only ones with vocations—or calls—from God. Lay people, too, are called to serve God, and in this book, Edward S. Little invites us to recognize – and respond – to our own unique vocations.

Ears to Hear takes readers on a journey through the Old Testament, showing the way God called ordinary people to service, and drawing parallels for ordinary people in the twenty-first century. The story of Abraham, who was called away from his homeland with no clear destination, exemplifies the insecurity of modern-day readers who may be called to abandon the security of their homes or their jobs to do God’s will. The story of Moses, who was armed with a list of serious—and logical—objections to God’s call, is a lesson for contemporary readers faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles to their vocations. In each of these stories, Little shows that God’s call—in Old Testament days and now—is always accompanied with more than enough grace to answer it.

Each chapter concludes with a set of discussion questions, making this an ideal book not only for individuals discerning God’s call, but also for parish study groups.