"Vocations as a Sign of Hope Founded in Faith"

During the Second Vatican Council in 1963 Pope Paul VI designated Good Shepherd Sunday as “World Day of Prayer for Vocations”. This important annual event in the life of the Church was instituted as a means of inviting Catholics throughout the world to pray for vocations to priesthood and religious life.

The 50th annual world day of prayer for vocations takes place on this Fourth Sunday of Easter (April 21st, 2013). During the Year of Faith, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has written a message to coincide with the day of prayer this year. The theme of his message is "Vocations as a sign of hope founded in faith." It reminds us that God continues to call people to work in the vineyard and that we must continue to pray and trust in our ultimate hope which is God himself.

The Pope said that the vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life are born out of the experience of a personal encounter with Christ, out of sincere and confident dialogue with Him, so as to enter into His will. It is necessary, therefore, to grow in the experience of faith, understood as a profound relationship with Jesus, as inner attentiveness to his voice which is heard deep within us. This process, which enables us to respond positively to God’s call, is possible in Christian communities where the faith is lived intensely, where generous witness is given of adherence to the Gospel, where there is a strong sense of mission which leads people to make the total gift of self for the Kingdom of God, nourished by recourse to the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, and by a fervent life of prayer.

The World Day of Prayer for Vocations is a day that Christians are invited to reflect on the meaning of God’s call and to pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. To help us reflect on the meaning of the priestly vocation, the church presents to us in today’s gospel the figure of Jesus the Good Shepherd. Last Sunday we saw Our Lord three times giving Peter the charge to “feed my sheep.” In that way Jesus made Peter a shepherd, a pastor. Our Lord continued his work of shepherding his people through Peter and his co-workers: the apostles and disciples, and through their successors: the Pope, the bishops, priests, deacons, catechists, and committed lay people.

We pray that our young people may respond with open and generous hearts. Lord, give them the gift of understanding to discern their service in the Church, the priesthood, diaconate, or consecrated life and for the gift of courage to follow Your call and the Christian parents will happily accept the possibility that God may call one of their children to priesthood or consecrated life.