The Hero’s Journey begins with The Call to adventure. The following is a description of the “Call” based on the work of Joseph Campbell.
The Call invites us into the adventure, offers us the opportunity to face the unknown and gain something of physical or spiritual value. We may choose willingly to undertake the quest, or we may be dragged into it unwillingly.
We know that some of the disciples were called while fishing and Jesus invited them to come fish for people. Zacchaeus was called to come down from a tree. Moses was called to step aside from the road he was on and to step onto holy ground to meet God at the burning bush. Isaiah had a vision in the Temple and was being called to be a spokesperson on God’s behalf. We know these stories because they are held up as examples of the beginning of great and momentous journeys. Campbell’s point is that we are all called on epic journeys. Each of our journeys has the same themes as of the great myths of the world.
What it means for me is that our everyday lives are far from ordinary. Even in their seeming ordinariness is an epic tale being formed. I think it is a remarkable thing to consider that God has called us, like the disciples, to an epic adventure that is part of the saving grace of the world. What it does for me is raise the mundane into a sacred story. It redeems the smallest of aspects of my life and helps me to see the significance of what I do, of what we do.
The Call can be seen in Tolkien’s story The Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins, after an “Unexpected Party” of dwarves, wakes up the next morning relieved to find them all gone from his cozy Hobbit hole. But just as relief was settling in that he was not off to rob dragons, Gandalf appears and shows Bilbo the note left by his previous night’s guests. After some pleasantries it reads:
“Thinking it unnecessary to disturb your esteemed repose, we have proceeded in advance to make the requisite preparations, and shall await your respected person at the Green Dragon Inn, Bywater, at 11am sharp. Trusting that you will be punctual, ‘We have the honour to remain, Yours deeply, Thorin and Company.’
“That will leave you just ten minutes. You will have to run,” said Gandalf.
“But - ,” said Bilbo.
“No time for it,” said the wizard.
“But -,” said Bilbo again.
“No time for that either! Off you go!”
“To the end of his days, Bilbo could never remember how he found himself outside, without a hat, walking-stick or any money, or anything that he usually took when he went out; leaving his second breakfast half-finished and quite unwashed-up, pushing his keys into Gandalf’s hands, and running as fast as his furry feet could carry him down the lane, past the great Mill, across The Water, and then for a mile or more.”
And thus began Bilbo’s remarkable adventure. It began with a reluctant call to be a burglar, that as the story goes, will lead to the saving of Middle Earth. Later on in The Fellowship of the Ring, Bilbo’s nephew Frodo would recount his uncle’s words, “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door,” he used to say. “You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
The Call is to step out into the Way, onto the Road with Jesus. We may be willing or unwitting participants. We may be excited or confused. This isn’t even conversion it is merely getting out the door and following. Conversion isn’t necessary to follow, just movement. Do you hear the Call to Adventure? Can you see your everyday life as a noble existence? It is. If you get on the Road with Jesus, he will give it the content. And show you the way.
Jung put it this way, “Bidden or not, God is present.” There’s no stopping the Call from coming, but we can refuse the journey. One of the first things to note is that all are called to live in the Way.
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