FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY AND VOCATIONS WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
My Dear Friends,
I hope you are all keeping well, staying safe and watching out for each other!
We as a church celebrate Good Vocations Sunday on this Good Shepherd Sunday. The purpose of World Day of Prayer for Vocations is to publicly fulfil the Lord’s instruction to, “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send labourers’ into his harvest” (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2).
As a climax to a prayer that is continually offered throughout the Church, it affirms the primacy of faith and grace in all that concerns vocations to the priesthood and to the consecrated life.
While appreciating all vocations, the Church concentrates its attention this day on vocations to the ordained ministries (priesthood and diaconate), consecrated life in all its forms (male and female religious life, societies of apostolic life, consecrated virginity), secular institutes in their diversity of services and membership, and to the missionary life.
Pope Francis, in his letter for the 58th world day of prayer for vocations sets the theme Saint Joseph: The Dream of Vocation and he states,
Saint Joseph is an extraordinary figure, yet at the same time one “so close to our own human experience”. He did not do astonishing things, he had no unique charisms, nor did he appear special in the eyes of those who met him. He was not famous or even noteworthy: the Gospels do not report even a single word of his. Still, through his ordinary life, he accomplished something extraordinary in the eyes of God.
God looks on the heart (cf. 1 Sam 16:7), and in Saint Joseph he recognized the heart of a father, able to give and generate life in the midst of daily routines. Vocations have this same goal: to beget and renew lives every day!
Pope Francis
Pope Francis goes on to tell us that, Saint Joseph suggests to us three key words for each individual’s vocation.
The first dream!
The second service!
The third fidelity
These three words can be explored further in the Holy Fathers address for this world day of prayer for vocations which you will receive as a hard copy or can be accessed by the website or Face book.
Please pray for vocations and actively encourage young women and men to consider and dream of a life of service and fidelity in the Priesthood or Religious.
Fr John