Vocation Sunday

Today's Sunday is commonly known as "Good Shepherd Sunday". It is also known as "Vocations Sunday", a day when we pray for new vocations to priesthood, religious life and permanent diaconate.

It is obvious that our Church today is in great need of good and holy priests, totally committed to the Gospel. But, let's not narrow the term "vocation" to only those who feel called to the priesthood or 'religious' life. We need to emphasize very strongly that every baptized person has a 'vocation'. Everyone is called by God to play a specific role in his/her Parish.

Unfortunately, it seems, a large number of Christians, decide first on their 'career' and only when they are somehow "comfortable" in their lives do they ask themselves, "What can I do to help the Church?" It is absolutely basic for all of us, young and old, single and married to ask ourselves at all times: "What does God want me to be? What are my particular gifts? How can I offer these gifts in service to my own Parish?"

If we live our lives as a morally good people, and I mean: "keeping God's Commandments", saying our prayers and "fulfilling our religious obligations" but do not in fact play an active and constructive part in our Parish, we are not really good Catholics in the proper sense.

Unless we see 'vocation' as something that we are all called to respond to, it is not likely that there will be enough people to respond to the service needs of our Parishes. There are still many, who have a 'supermarket mentality' where Catholic practice is concerned. Their understanding is that the Church is there to provide them with 'spiritual' or 'religious goods' as they need them. But there is a danger, that although there may be enough 'goods' available there will be no one to distribute them!

Our Parishes can only grow and thrive when every member makes his or her contribution to the well-being of the whole. When all are giving, all will be receiving in abundance.

Today we are asked to "pray" for vocations. But there is a danger that many will pray for other people's vocations and not their own. To say this prayer with sincerity involves reflecting on how God is asking you to make a meaningful contribution of yourself (not just money) to the building up of our parish.

In fact, I'm deeply impressed by the number of you who do make a substantial contribution one way or the other to the running of our Parish Community. Nevertheless, today, Vocations Sunday, challenges each and every one of us to reflect on how we personally are responding to the call that Jesus is making to each of us right now. God uses those who make themselves available. How willing are you to make yourself available to God?