The Fourth Sunday of Easter is traditionally known as "Good Shepherd Sunday" in reference to the Gospel of the day—always a passage from John Chapter 10—in which Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd. This image is beloved by many Christians, and no doubt it provides comfort.
Today marks the 58thAnniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, titled: “Saint Joseph: The Dream of Vocation”. The purpose of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations is to invite the faithful to a prayer that 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), to the Religious life in all its forms (male and female, contemplative and apostolic), to societies of apostolic life, to secular institutes in their diversity of services and membership, and to the missionary life, in the particular sense of mission "ad gentes".
“Saint Joseph suggests to us three key words for each individual’s vocation. The first is dream. Everyone dreams of finding fulfilment in life. We rightly nurture great hopes, lofty aspirations that ephemeral goals – like success, money and entertainment – cannot satisfy. If we were to ask people to express in one word their life’s dream, it would not be difficult to imagine the answer: “to be loved”. It is love that gives meaning to life, because it reveals life’s mystery. Indeed, we only have life if we give it; we truly possess it only if we generously give it away.
A second word: service. For Saint Joseph, service – as a concrete expression of the gift of self – did not remain simply a high ideal, but became a rule for daily life. He adapted to different circumstances with the attitude of those who do not grow discouraged when life does not turn out as they wished; he showed the willingness typical of those who live to serve. His service and sacrifices were only possible, however, because they were sustained by a greater love: “Every true vocation is born of the gift of oneself, which is the fruit of mature sacrifice. The priesthood and consecrated life likewise require this kind of maturity. Whatever our vocation, whether to marriage, celibacy or virginity, our gift of self will not come to fulfilment if it stops at sacrifice; were that the case, instead of becoming a sign of the beauty and joy of love, the gift of self would risk being an expression of unhappiness, sadness and frustration.
A third characteristic of Saint Joseph’s daily life and our Christian vocation is fidelity. At a particularly difficult moment in his life, he pondered things patiently. He knew that success in life is built on constant fidelity to important decisions. How is such fidelity nurtured? In the light of God’s own faithfulness. For a vocation – like life itself – matures only through daily fidelity.” (Excerpts from the Message of Pope Francis for the 2021 World Day of Vocations)
The journey of the Easter Season calls to “bear witness to the Risen Lord”. This Sunday, at a special Mass at 2:00 pm, we have a privilege to share in such a joyful occasion as we celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation. In the mission of the Gospel and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Bishop Robert J. Baker (Retired Bishop of the Diocese of Birmingham, AL) will confirm 28 members of our parish to be transformed in becoming true and authentic disciples and witnesses of the Risen Jesus. My young friends, I pray that the gifts of the Holy Spirit will forever dwell and transform your hearts, minds, souls and lives.
I pray that we will always listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and ever more faithfully follow Him every day and do something beautiful for God with our lives. “I must give myself completely to Him. I must not attempt to control God’s actions. I must not desire a clear perception of my advance along the road, nor know precisely where I am on the way of holiness. I ask Him to make a saint of me, yet I must leave to Him the choice of the saintliness itself and still more the choice of the means that lead to it.” -St. Teresa of Calcutta