MESSAGE FOR VOCATION SUNDAY – 26 APRIL 2015
Theme: Do not be afraid, God does not abandon us
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
The Fourth Sunday of Easter, which is the Good Shepherd Sunday, 26thApril 2015 is Vocation Sunday. It is a day the Catholic Church sets aside for all the Catholic faithful to pray for and reflect upon Vocations in the Church. It is also a day to contribute money for training of Seminarians and Novices. The Pontifical Missionary Society of St. Peter the Apostle (one of the Holy Father’s Missionary Societies) leads in teaching people of the importance of offering prayers for vocations and offering monetary contributions for the Solidarity Fund in educating future priests and the running of seminaries and other houses of formation.
The Holy Father, through the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, reminds all the Catholic faithful about their Christian responsibility in cooperating with Christ in missionary work. St. John Paul II in his encyclical Redemptoris Missio, wrote about the three important ways a Christian is able to cooperate with Christ in his mission:
i. Every Christian has a duty to cooperate with Jesus Christ by offering prayers (RM78). Our prayers will help in the whole work of evangelization in the universal Church. Moreover, our specific prayers for vocations will help in the increase of vocations in the Church, especially that we should have an adequate number of priests with a burning zeal for salvation of souls in our dioceses, countries and entire Church. Jesus Christ teaches that we have to pray always that the Lord sends many labourers: “The harvest is abundant but the labourers are few; ask the master of the harvest to send out labourers for his harvest.” Luke 10:2.
ii. Every Christian must discern his vocation and offer his or her life for the mission of Christ. A personal commitment to Christ in married life (as husband and wife), in religious life and as priest, is another way of expressing our missionary vocation and demonstrating our cooperation with Christ in his salvific mission (RM 79).
iii. Offering of financial and material sacrifice is the third way of expressing missionary cooperation and demonstration of missionary vocation. In offering financial and material sacrifice with faith, a Christian acknowledges that all material and spiritual goods are not ours but are God given gifts, which must be returned to Him and be used for the salvation of many people (RM 81).
More than ever before, today our country and the entire Catholic world, need many priests, religious and married couples who must burn with zeal for the proclamation of the Gospel. Today more than ever before, there are many people who have not known Jesus Christ. That is why we can again agree with what St. John Paul wrote that the over view of the human race, after two thousand years, shows us that the Mission of Christ of proclaiming the Gospel is just at the beginning (RM1). Such a situation where we see and meet people who do not know the Gospel and who do not practice the faith, shows us the urgency of the mission. It is because of this that we must not be complacent. As Christians we must not work as if the mission of Christ is completed or is near completion, we must not relent as if everyone is converted and saved.
Vocation Sunday is an opportune occasion to express the urgency of the mission of Christ by praying for vocations and contributing money generously for the training of agents of evangelization.
On this Vocation Sunday, we also appeal to the youth and children who are still searching for and discerning their vocation, that they should take their lives seriously. God created each human being for a purpose. God wants every created human being especially a Christian to serve Him and serve fellow human beings. Therefore, young people must find time for silence and prayer, to seek enlightenment and guidance from God who created them. The youth should not be afraid to answer God’s call. Though the journey may seem tough, God is always there helping us: He calls us, He sends us to work and He protects us. In his 2014 message on the World Day of Prayers for Vocations, Pope Francis wrote: “We need not be afraid: God follows the work of His hands with passion and skill in every phase of life. He never abandons us! He has the fulfillment of his plan for us at heart, and yet he wishes to achieve it with our consent and cooperation.”
Parents and teachers should constantly teach and remind children that God wants them to serve the Church and society through priesthood or religious life or married life. There are some parents who selfishly discourage their children from following the path of self-sacrifice for the Church. By allowing children to join the priesthood or religious life, they think it is a big material loss. Do not be afraid. Giving your child to God is the best offering you can make to the Church. God is always pleased with such a sacrifice and God himself will neither abandon you or your child. Abraham, who is our father in faith, is our best example. He was willing to sacrifice Isaac, the only son God had given him (Genesis 22:1-19). Again, do not be afraid, God does not abandon us.
Pastoral workers, especially priests, sisters and brothers, should find time to talk, guide and accompany the youth in their process of discernment. In the Old Testament, Samuel did not realize the call of God until Eli guided him (1 Samuel 3:1-18). The youths themselves, should learn to seek help and guidance from the elders, especially their pastors. The youth should be close to the Church so that as a mother, she can guide them to the right path of serving God and mankind. With this, we all realize that vocation discernment is the duty of the ecclesial community. We encourage pastoral workers to draw on what Pope Francis calls “Vocational Pastoral Plans.” Our pastoral plans in our parishes and dioceses must contain vocation promotion strategies.
As we celebrate Vocation Sunday, let us commit ourselves to praying for vocations in the Catholic Church; let us commit ourselves to teaching one another about the importance of vocations in the mission of the Church; and let us commit ourselves to making financial contribution for the training of future priests, brothers and sisters and for running of the seminaries and houses of formation.
I wish you all a fruitful celebration of Vocation Sunday.
Rt. Rev. Peter Musikuwa, Bishop Chairman of Pastoral Commission and Pontifical Missionary Societies.
