Fr Billy Swan
Dear friends. This Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Easter is World Day of Prayer for Vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Now you might think that this topic has little to do with me unless you are a priest or religious or are single and may be thinking of a vocation. But we remember that priesthood and religious life are God’s gifts to the whole Church. Despite the Church being made of about 98% of laity, the leadership and gifts of priests and religious are vital for the present and future of the Church. The witness they give matters, for good or for ill. There has been much publicity in recent years of the failings of priests and religious and the harm this has caused. But we also know the amount of good that can come from a faithful priestly and religious life. We all have known those times when the presence and support of priests and religious has sustained us and inspired us.
From the Scripture readings today, two pivotal aspects of the priesthood stand out. First, the importance of preaching God’s Word. Every time a priest stands and speaks to a faith community, he does so in union with ‘Peter and the eleven…who stood up on the day of Pentecost and addressed the crowd’. We priests are commissioned to preach, not our own word, but the faith of the Apostles which is the Word of God and the Word that saves. We are not here to entertain, to say what people want to hear, to tickle the emotions or to please. All our preaching is about God, our faith in Him and his voice that echoes in our conscience and hearts. This is the voice that affirms his love for us and his calling to us to be the person he has created us to be.
The second aspect of priesthood is that of pastoral care of God’s people, symbolised by the image of the Good Shepherd. It is impossible to function as a priest without a deep love and care for people in your heart. God promised to send his people ‘shepherds after my own heart’ (Jer. 3:15) to love them with his own love. This promise was fulfilled with Jesus the Good Shepherd who laid down his life out of love for us. At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the priesthood to ensure that there would always be good shepherds to care for God’s people – priests who would love and care for his people with the heart of Christ himself.
This weekend, we ask you to pray for us priests and religious who carry a treasure in earthen vessels. We need your prayers, support and sometimes correction. We join together this weekend in praying for vocations for in the words of Pope Francis ‘there can be no promotion of vocations separate from constant prayer’. He also pleads: ‘I ask the people of the parishes, associations and many prayer groups in the Church…to continue praying that the Lord will send workers to his harvest’.
In the meantime, to all young people who may read these words: ‘God has a plan for your life! To young men – don’t be afraid if he calls you to be a priest! To young women – don’t be afraid if he calls you to religious life! Jesus wants us to be happy so trust his call! To all young adults – keep praying! Listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd within. Don’t assume that marriage is your vocation. Do you want to do great things with your life? Then make of your life a beautiful gift to God! Don’t cling to your own plans too much but rather surrender yourself to his plans for your life. To parents and grandparents –explore with your children and grand-children what God might be calling them to and encourage them to at least consider the possibility of being a priest or religious. Together let us create a culture of vocations in our parishes where priesthood and religious life are encouraged as viable and acceptable options for living a fulfilled and beautiful life.
‘God our Father, we trust in your loving kindness. Bless our diocese of Ferns with many priestly and religious vocations. Give the men and women you call the light to understand your gift and the love to follow always in the footsteps of your Son. Amen.’