How God Convinced Him to Become a Priest

Discernment is never easy. When Fr. Chris Alar was wrestling with the question of whether God was truly calling him to the priesthood, he begged the Lord for a sign. Then something unexpected happened: his dog accidentally knocked the Bible off a table. It landed face down and fell open to Matthew 19 — the very passage where Jesus speaks about those who renounce marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Some might dismiss this as coincidence. But in the eyes of faith, it was a profound confirmation: God has countless ways of speaking to us, and sometimes He uses the most ordinary moments — even the clumsy action of a pet — to communicate His will.

This story reminds us that discernment is not about waiting for lightning bolts from heaven, but about listening with an open heart to how God might be guiding us in the quiet and unexpected. Scripture, prayer, wise counsel, and the sacraments are the surest ways to hear Him — but He also delights in surprising us with reminders that He is near and that His plan for us is real.

If you are seeking direction in life, stay close to the Lord. Ask Him for light, remain faithful to prayer, and be attentive to the ways He may be answering you. God is still speaking — the question is, are we listening?

To deepen your understanding of the sacraments — the lifelines of grace that help us discern and live our vocation — see Fr. Chris’s new book, Understanding the Sacraments, available at ShopMercy.org.

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