1. Name these people. Can you find the link?

2. The Story of Jumping Mouse

3. Once there was a Mouse. A very busy mouse. Doing lots of mouse things like searching for food, avoiding cats, eating cheese. All the other mice did the same thing. But once in a while he would hear an odd sound. He would lift his Head, squinting hard to see, his whiskers wiggling in the air, and he would wonder. One day he scurried up to a fellow mouse and asked him, "Do you hear a roaring in your ears, my brother?”

4. “definitely not," answered the other mouse, not lifting his busy nose from the ground. "I hear nothing. I am busy now. Go away don’t ask stupid questions” He asked Another mouse the same question and the mouse looked at him strangely. “Are you hearing things? What sound?“ Eventually one of his friends came up to him and said “ look mice eat, avoid cats, look for cheese this is all we do. Sometimes one of us might think there is more out there a different life, but just ignore it, this is all there is so try to be like everyone else”

5. But he couldn’t. Eventually he knew he would have to set off and find out what the noise was. Although he was a bit worried about setting off he went in search of the roaring in his ear. Then he nearly jumped out of his skin when he a voice saying “Hello little mouse you are a long way from home” the voice belonged to a racoon.

6. What are you Doing Here all by yourself, little Brother?" asked the Raccoon. "I Hear a Roaring in my Ears and I am investigating it," he answered timidly. "A roaring in your ears?" replied the Raccoon as he Sat Down with him. "What you hear is the River." "The River?" Mouse asked curiously. "What is a River?" "Walk with me and I will show you the River," Raccoon said. Little Mouse was terribly afraid, but he was determined to find out once and for all about the roaring.

7. The mouse walked with raccoon. his little heart was pounding in his breast he was walking on strange paths and little mouse smelled the scent of many things that had gone by his way. many times he became so frightened he almost turned back. finally, they came to the River! it was huge and breathtaking mouse was unable to see across it because it was so great. it roared, sang, cried, and thundered on its course. "it is powerful!" little mouse said, fumbling for words. it is a great thing," answered the raccoon, "but here, let me introduce you to a friend." in a smoother, shallower place was a lily pad, bright and green. sitting upon it was a frog, almost as green as the pad it sat on. the frog's white belly stood out clearly.

8. "hello, little brother," said the frog. "welcome to the river." “Mouse approached the water and looked into it. he saw a frightened mouse reflected there. amazing!" little mouse said at last, again fumbling for words." would you like to know more?" frog asked." "yes, yes! if it is possible." "then crouch as low as you can, and then jump as high as you are able! you will know more!" frog said.

9. Mouse did as he was instructed. he crouched as low as he could and jumped. and when he did, his eyes saw the sacred mountains. mouse could hardly believe his eyes. but there they were! but then he fell back to earth, and he landed in the river! He was frightened and scrambled back to the bank. "you have tricked me," little mouse screamed at the frog!" "wait," said the frog. “don’t be afraid ". what did you see?" “I," mouse stammered, “I saw the sacred mountains!" "and you have a new name!" frog said. "it is jumping mouse."

10. Vocation The word vocation means to be called by God All of us have a vocation. Someone expressed it in the following way: They said “There is a dream in the heart of God for each of us” How do we know what God’s dream is for us? Lets look at how people in the Old Testament heard and responded to God

11. The Call of Samuel

12. The story of Samuel Samuel’s mother had prayed to the lord for a child. She saw Samuel as a gift from god and to thank god sent Samuel to serve Eli in the temple when he was old enough. 3Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the L ORD under Eli. The word of the L ORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. 2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; 3 the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the L ORD, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the L ORD called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

13. 6 The L ORD called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.”

14. 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the L ORD, and the word of the L ORD had not yet been revealed to him. 8 The L ORD called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the L ORD was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, L ORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

15. 10 Now the L ORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 19 As Samuel grew up, the L ORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the L ORD.

16. The Call of Jeremiah

17. Jeremiah’s Story The Call of Jeremiah 4 The word of the L ORD came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” 6 “Alas, Sovereign L ORD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

18. But the L ORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the L ORD. 9 Then the L ORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

19. Vocation Some people are called to follow God in a particular way by becoming a priest or joining a religious community. Do you know any priests or nuns? We will hear the stories of how two people came to chose this way of life.