I think it was James Joyce that said the correct mood for life is a gentle melancholy. It allows us to love beauty, goodness and the things of the past, to work to make things better, and to put our hope and faith in God. The trick is to keep clear of the clutches of acedia. Looks like Jenna Stocker is in this sweet spot.
Keep thinking deeply, enduring pain and never give an inch to despair!
I think you give me too much credit. But I do appreciate it. The Joyce quote is brilliant, as expected. We have so much to learn. Thank you for these kind words.
Jenna, you are clearly a deep, thoughtful, and expressive person who is willing to deep dive into places most of us never really even consider. Hope while we're on this earth cannot and will not come from the things of this earth, but from the One who gives us all things, including hope. This passage from Romans 5:1-5 often sustains me in times of false dystopia,
"Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace[a] with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."
You always know the right thing to say. Or rather, have the perfect Verse to fill the void that finds me when I write these silly things. It grounds me and for that I am ever grateful. Thank you, Jeff.
Thank you, Jenna. This piece was absolutely worth the wait—a beautiful reflection that stands as a defiant act against our distracted world indeed.
Your image of the telephone with its steady, tender electric hum resonates deeply as a metaphor for connection in an increasingly disconnected world. That dial tone—a prompt waiting for human initiative—speaks volumes about what we've lost in our frictionless digital age.
What strikes me most is how you've articulated the paradox at the heart of vocation - we are called to engage sincerely with an increasingly insincere world. This reminds me of Luther's understanding of vocation—that we're called not to flee the world but to serve within it, even as it crumbles around us. The writers you mention—Hemingway, O'Connor, Wallace—all answered this call in their own way, standing "in the maelstrom" to write truth while the center failed to hold.
Your reflection touches on what I believe is the essence of vocation—not necessarily finding work that fulfills us, but finding purpose in loving what is good, true, and beautiful even when the world has stopped believing in these things. As you write, "We are not a nation that lost its innocence; we are a nation that lost its belief even in its own myth." Perhaps our vocation today is to recover that belief, not naively, but with eyes wide open to both the light and the dark.
Your closing words about choosing love reminds me that vocation is ultimately not about what we do, but about how we respond to what we're given—with tenderness rather than bitterness, with forgiveness rather than grievance.
Thank you for reminding us to listen for that dial tone—the prompt that tells us the world is still there, waiting for us to make our move, to answer our call.
Mark, this is why I wrote it. You connecting with it, your completely insightful and wise response, and your gift of translating it to the wide world is lovely and inspiring. Thank you. You’re right about vocation and Luther and working within the world and for redemption — the world’s and our own — is true. What a beautiful connection.
Thanks Jenna, for the kind words. For those not familiar with this teaching. I shared the following summary on the doctrine of vocation during a recent team formation.
What does it mean to have a calling?
Webster defines calling as:
• A strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action, especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence.
• The vocation or profession in which one customarily engages.
Pretty good definitions. Many self-help books have been written with methods to help you find your “purpose” or search for “meaning” in your work or life. Often, the focus is directed towards your ability to find or choose your calling. However, I want to discuss a more nuanced scriptural concept referred to as “the doctrine of vocation,” which I find great comfort in.
Scriptural passages that provide a basis for this teaching:
• 1 Corinthians 7:17: “Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.”
• This verse highlights that every occupation can be a calling from God.
• Ephesians 2:10: "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
• This verse underscores that our daily work is part of God's plan for us.
Stated simply, vocation is a calling to a given way of life. This includes much more than just the value of work. As we live our ordinary lives, God assigns us certain neighbors to care for and calls us to multiple realms of service. God assigns these realms of service by guiding our life, giving us blessings, skills, and abilities, and through the assignments that others in authority place upon us. The world places different values on vocation based on status and accomplishments, but God values all vocations the same.
We all have multiple callings in our life based on our “station in life.” Our station in life is where God has placed us to live in faith toward Him and in love toward our neighbor. God assigns various roles for us to live out, such as brother, son, dad, citizen, student, friend, or employee. These roles are not mutually exclusive; we occupy several roles all at once, and all of them involve relationships with other people that the Bible refers to as our "neighbors." It is in these specific contexts that we are called to be of service.
Our vocation is not chosen; it is also not something that we “find,” as if it is something unknown, awaiting us in the future. Rather, our vocation is already here, where we are and what we are doing right now. We are free from our self-invented, self-serving works. This understanding of vocation has a liberating effect.
Martin Luther’s claim that our vocations are “masks of God” helps us to comprehend the doctrine of vocation. This phrase describes the means God uses to work on our behalf and to show Himself while remaining hidden. On the surface, we see an ordinary human face—our mother, our doctor, a teacher, a waitress, our pastor—but, beneath the appearances, God is ministering to us through them. He is not seen in work, but He is there, nonetheless. And this is the great joy: to look at each human being and see them as redeemed by Christ, and to think in that person’s need, I can meet and serve Christ. C.S. Lewis put it so well when he said, “next to the Blessed Sacrament, the holiest thing any of us are likely to touch in this world is our neighbor in his need.” They are the true holy things, and we find Christ in them.
In conclusion, when we want to know God’s will for our life, we do not need to look any further than our “station in life” and our neighbor’s needs. This is enough to keep us busy for the rest of our life. We are free to turn our attention to our neighbor because we no longer need to worry about pleasing God. This is the best thing about finding God’s will in your life. When you find it, right there under your nose, you realize that your place in life, the neighbors you find in it, and the works God has prepared for you to do, are also a gift of God. Finding your purpose in life or calling to serve is really that simple.
Mark, this is profound and touching. Heavy words that lighten the heart. This especially: "beneath the appearances, God is ministering to us through them. He is not seen in work, but He is there, nonetheless. And this is the great joy: to look at each human being and see them as redeemed by Christ, and to think in that person’s need, I can meet and serve Christ. C.S. Lewis put it so well when he said, “next to the Blessed Sacrament, the holiest thing any of us are likely to touch in this world is our neighbor in his need.” They are the true holy things, and we find Christ in them."
You're right, it's less about a "search", especially within ourselves, than opening our eyes to the needs around us. I will have to think about this for quite a long while. Thank you so much for sharing this wisdom.
For the last 50 years, there has been a concerted effort to rewrite the cultural history of America... to teach its youth that we stole the land from Indians, imported slaves to build our economy, denied workers a fair wage, and denied non-whites and women their true worth. Rich corporations own politicians and polute the environment. The Left has successfully convinced a significant part of our fellow Americans that there must be a total upheaval of society. By the Left's taking over the educational system, a majority of Americans now have doubts about America. Back in the '80's, for example, the San Francisco school board required "English teachers" to select books based upon the ethnic breakdown of each school's ethnic minorities. A typical classroom was 15% Philippino, 10 % Chinese, 5% Japanese, 10 % black, 20 % Latino and 40 % white. You don't need a MA in Education to know that it's impossible to know which books to select or how to make them relate to every student. Most students graduated from high school never having read Shakespeare. People wonder why San Francisco is now unlivable.
If we don't teach our kids to love their country, they won't.
I agree with you. We fly the American flag and only the American flag outside our house every day. At Christmas, we pack up our toddlers and take them to Fort Snelling National Cemetery and lay wreaths on the graves of the military heroes laid to rest there. We try to instill a sense of patriotism and duty in them even at their age. We all have to make an effort. It also involves trying to serve on school boards and talking with neighbors. Hard work.
This bookend to your earlier half of it feels more intimate to me, than the first part. I’m not versed in Wallace. I’m one of those who has Infinite Jest on his bookshelf, who read under 100 pages of the monster, and got obliterated by so many words. But I like your winding your way through these important authors. Who wouldn’t want you as a literary guide? You live in this piece up-close more so than some others you’ve written, I feel, and I like that. I salute your achievement, and choice to live inside the questions, and choose to love. Congratulations. It’s great.
A hyper-intelligent depressive, huh. ? Poor DFW. He had the right idea in the end? What I am wrestling with these days. This is beautiful, Jenna. I might have more to say soon.
I think it was James Joyce that said the correct mood for life is a gentle melancholy. It allows us to love beauty, goodness and the things of the past, to work to make things better, and to put our hope and faith in God. The trick is to keep clear of the clutches of acedia. Looks like Jenna Stocker is in this sweet spot.
Keep thinking deeply, enduring pain and never give an inch to despair!
...and more posts please.
I think you give me too much credit. But I do appreciate it. The Joyce quote is brilliant, as expected. We have so much to learn. Thank you for these kind words.
Perfect post!
Thanks Jim! And thank you for reading.
Jenna, you are clearly a deep, thoughtful, and expressive person who is willing to deep dive into places most of us never really even consider. Hope while we're on this earth cannot and will not come from the things of this earth, but from the One who gives us all things, including hope. This passage from Romans 5:1-5 often sustains me in times of false dystopia,
"Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace[a] with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."
All the best, and keep writing, my friend!
You always know the right thing to say. Or rather, have the perfect Verse to fill the void that finds me when I write these silly things. It grounds me and for that I am ever grateful. Thank you, Jeff.
Well, I very glad that it gives you that solid foundation. Thank you, Jesus.
Amen.
Love this!!
Thank you, sir!
Thank you, Jenna. This piece was absolutely worth the wait—a beautiful reflection that stands as a defiant act against our distracted world indeed.
Your image of the telephone with its steady, tender electric hum resonates deeply as a metaphor for connection in an increasingly disconnected world. That dial tone—a prompt waiting for human initiative—speaks volumes about what we've lost in our frictionless digital age.
What strikes me most is how you've articulated the paradox at the heart of vocation - we are called to engage sincerely with an increasingly insincere world. This reminds me of Luther's understanding of vocation—that we're called not to flee the world but to serve within it, even as it crumbles around us. The writers you mention—Hemingway, O'Connor, Wallace—all answered this call in their own way, standing "in the maelstrom" to write truth while the center failed to hold.
Your reflection touches on what I believe is the essence of vocation—not necessarily finding work that fulfills us, but finding purpose in loving what is good, true, and beautiful even when the world has stopped believing in these things. As you write, "We are not a nation that lost its innocence; we are a nation that lost its belief even in its own myth." Perhaps our vocation today is to recover that belief, not naively, but with eyes wide open to both the light and the dark.
Your closing words about choosing love reminds me that vocation is ultimately not about what we do, but about how we respond to what we're given—with tenderness rather than bitterness, with forgiveness rather than grievance.
Thank you for reminding us to listen for that dial tone—the prompt that tells us the world is still there, waiting for us to make our move, to answer our call.
Mark, this is why I wrote it. You connecting with it, your completely insightful and wise response, and your gift of translating it to the wide world is lovely and inspiring. Thank you. You’re right about vocation and Luther and working within the world and for redemption — the world’s and our own — is true. What a beautiful connection.
Thanks Jenna, for the kind words. For those not familiar with this teaching. I shared the following summary on the doctrine of vocation during a recent team formation.
What does it mean to have a calling?
Webster defines calling as:
• A strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action, especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence.
• The vocation or profession in which one customarily engages.
Pretty good definitions. Many self-help books have been written with methods to help you find your “purpose” or search for “meaning” in your work or life. Often, the focus is directed towards your ability to find or choose your calling. However, I want to discuss a more nuanced scriptural concept referred to as “the doctrine of vocation,” which I find great comfort in.
Scriptural passages that provide a basis for this teaching:
• 1 Corinthians 7:17: “Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.”
• This verse highlights that every occupation can be a calling from God.
• Ephesians 2:10: "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
• This verse underscores that our daily work is part of God's plan for us.
Stated simply, vocation is a calling to a given way of life. This includes much more than just the value of work. As we live our ordinary lives, God assigns us certain neighbors to care for and calls us to multiple realms of service. God assigns these realms of service by guiding our life, giving us blessings, skills, and abilities, and through the assignments that others in authority place upon us. The world places different values on vocation based on status and accomplishments, but God values all vocations the same.
We all have multiple callings in our life based on our “station in life.” Our station in life is where God has placed us to live in faith toward Him and in love toward our neighbor. God assigns various roles for us to live out, such as brother, son, dad, citizen, student, friend, or employee. These roles are not mutually exclusive; we occupy several roles all at once, and all of them involve relationships with other people that the Bible refers to as our "neighbors." It is in these specific contexts that we are called to be of service.
Our vocation is not chosen; it is also not something that we “find,” as if it is something unknown, awaiting us in the future. Rather, our vocation is already here, where we are and what we are doing right now. We are free from our self-invented, self-serving works. This understanding of vocation has a liberating effect.
Martin Luther’s claim that our vocations are “masks of God” helps us to comprehend the doctrine of vocation. This phrase describes the means God uses to work on our behalf and to show Himself while remaining hidden. On the surface, we see an ordinary human face—our mother, our doctor, a teacher, a waitress, our pastor—but, beneath the appearances, God is ministering to us through them. He is not seen in work, but He is there, nonetheless. And this is the great joy: to look at each human being and see them as redeemed by Christ, and to think in that person’s need, I can meet and serve Christ. C.S. Lewis put it so well when he said, “next to the Blessed Sacrament, the holiest thing any of us are likely to touch in this world is our neighbor in his need.” They are the true holy things, and we find Christ in them.
In conclusion, when we want to know God’s will for our life, we do not need to look any further than our “station in life” and our neighbor’s needs. This is enough to keep us busy for the rest of our life. We are free to turn our attention to our neighbor because we no longer need to worry about pleasing God. This is the best thing about finding God’s will in your life. When you find it, right there under your nose, you realize that your place in life, the neighbors you find in it, and the works God has prepared for you to do, are also a gift of God. Finding your purpose in life or calling to serve is really that simple.
Mark, this is profound and touching. Heavy words that lighten the heart. This especially: "beneath the appearances, God is ministering to us through them. He is not seen in work, but He is there, nonetheless. And this is the great joy: to look at each human being and see them as redeemed by Christ, and to think in that person’s need, I can meet and serve Christ. C.S. Lewis put it so well when he said, “next to the Blessed Sacrament, the holiest thing any of us are likely to touch in this world is our neighbor in his need.” They are the true holy things, and we find Christ in them."
You're right, it's less about a "search", especially within ourselves, than opening our eyes to the needs around us. I will have to think about this for quite a long while. Thank you so much for sharing this wisdom.
For the last 50 years, there has been a concerted effort to rewrite the cultural history of America... to teach its youth that we stole the land from Indians, imported slaves to build our economy, denied workers a fair wage, and denied non-whites and women their true worth. Rich corporations own politicians and polute the environment. The Left has successfully convinced a significant part of our fellow Americans that there must be a total upheaval of society. By the Left's taking over the educational system, a majority of Americans now have doubts about America. Back in the '80's, for example, the San Francisco school board required "English teachers" to select books based upon the ethnic breakdown of each school's ethnic minorities. A typical classroom was 15% Philippino, 10 % Chinese, 5% Japanese, 10 % black, 20 % Latino and 40 % white. You don't need a MA in Education to know that it's impossible to know which books to select or how to make them relate to every student. Most students graduated from high school never having read Shakespeare. People wonder why San Francisco is now unlivable.
If we don't teach our kids to love their country, they won't.
I agree with you. We fly the American flag and only the American flag outside our house every day. At Christmas, we pack up our toddlers and take them to Fort Snelling National Cemetery and lay wreaths on the graves of the military heroes laid to rest there. We try to instill a sense of patriotism and duty in them even at their age. We all have to make an effort. It also involves trying to serve on school boards and talking with neighbors. Hard work.
This bookend to your earlier half of it feels more intimate to me, than the first part. I’m not versed in Wallace. I’m one of those who has Infinite Jest on his bookshelf, who read under 100 pages of the monster, and got obliterated by so many words. But I like your winding your way through these important authors. Who wouldn’t want you as a literary guide? You live in this piece up-close more so than some others you’ve written, I feel, and I like that. I salute your achievement, and choice to live inside the questions, and choose to love. Congratulations. It’s great.
Scrambled eggs
A hyper-intelligent depressive, huh. ? Poor DFW. He had the right idea in the end? What I am wrestling with these days. This is beautiful, Jenna. I might have more to say soon.
I mostly think I’m a mess. This is kind and I thank you for it. I welcome and appreciate any feedback.