“The Path of Discernment: Hearing God’s Call.”  By Matt Kresich.  New York:  Paulist Press, 2026.  96 pages.  Paperback: $18.95; Kindle: $15.16; E-Book: $15.16.

For Catholics, the term “vocation” has been associated for centuries with a calling to some sort of formal religious life, but in his debut work, “The Path of Discernment: Hearing God’s Call”, author Matt Kresich reminds us that everyone is called to some sort of vocation.  “Does following God’s call only mean wearing a collar, habit or working for the church?” he asks in his introduction.  The answer, he says, is no.  “God’s call takes on many forms…it can apply to your job, such as construction worker, hair stylist and so on…it can also relate to your state in life, single, married, priest or religious.” What the term vocation does mean is discerning precisely where God is calling you to live out your part in His divine plan, and that is what Kresich hopes his book will help readers do.

One of the first things that Kresich does is assure people that God wants them to be happy and integral to that is following His will for their lives.  Sounds simple, but it’s our attitude that often gets in the way of truly “getting” what that actually means.  “The common idea,” he points out, “is that God’s will is like eating vegetables…(w)hen we have given up our personal hopes and dreams, only then will we understand the joys of God’s will.”

This way of thinking, as prevalent as it is, severely underestimates God.  “To limit God’s will,” he continues, “indicates that God is not powerful enough to incorporate our own happiness into the grand mystery of salvation.”  It is precisely God’s will, Kresich maintains, that affirms us in the deepest parts of ourselves.  We do not become less of who we are, but more.  “To realize that God wants us to be happy is the first step in understanding how we ought to live out our lives,” he says.

That said, where does a person begin to look for God’s will in their lives?  You begin with your own story, Kresich says.  Everyone’s story is unique, and it is there, if we reflect on it, that we will see that God has already been at work and continues to work for our good.  “Your biggest fan,” he notes, “is the God who created you, who knows you best.”

He also cautions readers to look at both their successes and what they might perceive as the failures of their lives.  To illustrate his point, he tells us a couple of stories from his own life when failure and disappointment actually led him to a place of enlightenment and discernment. “Our mistakes are failures only if we choose to see them that way,” he notes.  “However, if we keep moving forward, seeking God’s forgiveness, and trusting in God’s grace, then we can see that God even uses our failures to bring about success.”

He also alerts readers to the various places where God is just waiting to get our attention – our emotions, trusted friends, silence and reflection and, of course, prayer.  Near the end of the book, Kresich points to various types of prayer that can put us in touch with where God is speaking to us.  He spends extra time with Lectio Divina, including giving the reader Bible passages aimed specifically at discernment – with chapter and verse reference, a short synopsis of the passage, and questions that may help the reader in their prayer.

Finally, he concludes the book with the stories of those who have gone through the process of seeking God’s will and finding it – the communion of saints.  Kresich has chosen some famous and some not so famous people, all of whom have taken the same journey.  “Remember that discernment happens one day at a time,” he says, “and takes a lifetime to complete.  It will take everything you have…but it is returned to you more than we can imagine.”

Author bio:

Matt Kresich is an international speaker, author, and retreat leader. His professional ministry has encompassed youth, young adults, evangelization, and pastor coaching.

He is a native of the Diocese of Gary, Indiana and is a parishioner at the Cathedral of the Holy Angels in Gary.

Kresich remains busy balancing his doctoral studies and spending time with his wife, Carissa, and their new daughter, Kiara, but he hasn’t ruled out writing another book in the future.