The Church has chosen this Sunday, in which we read the parable of the Good Shepherd, to pray for vocations to the priesthood. What is the relationship between shepherds and vocations?The Good Shepherd represents Christ who takes care of us personally, and is willing to give his life for us. And the priest is “another Christ” entrusted with the care of a group of Christians. None of us can say: “I am not interested in this,” since we are all directly affected by the fact that we can have many holy priests.
One afternoon many years ago, a child knocked on the door of St John Bosco in the city of Turin, Italy, who asked him, “What do you want?” The little boy answered: “I want to be a priest!” His name was Dominic Savio. Behind every vocation is a mystery of love. The idea of becoming a priest doesn’t come spontaneously or by accident. God is the one who calls, but he needs to find a soul willing to listen, and to follow his vocation. “My sheep hear my voice,” Jesus says, “I know them and they follow me.”
Today is the day of the seminary. We complain that our seminaries are empty. There is talk about a vocational crisis. Is it possible that God has grown tired of calling? No, God keeps calling, but there must be a fervent Christian environment among families, parishes need to promote formative and apostolic activities, young people need to be taught generosity so as not to deny God anything He asks for. We need to pray for vocations a lot. And it is in your hands: give economic assistance to support a seminarian as if he were your own son.
Pope Benedict XVI is convinced that vocations to consecrated life come from Christian families. On Sunday February 4, after praying the Angelus, the Pope noted: “A peaceful family environment, enlightened by Faith, favors the growth and flourishing of vocations to serve the Gospel.” One could say that the crisis of vocations is a crisis of the family.
Has any of your children shown interest in the vocation? Do you know children or young people in your environment in need of prayer, assistance or encouragement to mature in their decision to follow Christ? You can be a vocational promoter, fostering the practice of Christian life in those who live around you. A priestly vocation could be depending on you!