“Every specific vocation is, in fact, born of the initiative of God; it is a gift of the Love of God! He is the One Who takes the ‘first step’,” states Pope Benedict in his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations due to be celebrated on April 29, the fourth Sunday of Easter.
The theme of Benedict XVI’s reflections this year is, Vocations, the Gift of the Love of God. In the message, the Pope elaborates on the love of God is and describes it as “everlasting.”
“The appealing beauty of this divine love, which precedes and accompanies us, needs to be proclaimed ever anew, especially to younger generations. This divine love is the hidden impulse, the motivation that never fails, even in the most difficult circumstances.
“We need to open our lives to this love. It is to the perfection of the Father’s love that Jesus Christ calls us every day! The high standard of the Christian life consists in loving as God loves; with a love that is shown in the total, faithful and fruitful gift of self,” states the Pope.
”It is in this soil of self-offering and openness to the love of God, and as the fruit of that love, that all vocations are born and grow. By drawing from this wellspring through prayer, constant recourse to God’s word and to the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, it becomes possible to live a life of love for our neighbours, in whom we come to perceive the face of Christ the Lord.”
The other practical expression of love, that towards our neighbour, and especially those who suffer and are in greatest need, leads the priest and the consecrated person to be a builder of communion between people and a sower of hope.
The relationship of consecrated persons, especially priests, to the Christian community is vital.
“Dear brother bishops, dear priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, catechists, pastoral workers and all of you who are engaged in the field of educating young people: I fervently exhort you to pay close attention to those members of parish communities, associations and ecclesial movements who sense a call to the priesthood or to a special consecration. It is important for the Church to create the conditions that will permit many young people to say ‘yes’ in generous response to God’s loving call,” urges the Pope.
He explains that the task of fostering vocations involves providing helpful guidance and direction along the way. Central to this should be love of God’s word nourished by Sacred Scripture, and attentive and unceasing prayer, both personal and in community.
This will make it possible to hear God’s call amid all the voices of daily life, but above all, the Eucharist should be the heart of every vocational journey.
“Scripture, prayer and the Eucharist are the precious treasure enabling us to grasp the beauty of a life spent fully in service of the Kingdom,” says Benedict.
“It is my hope that the local Churches will become places where vocations are carefully discerned and their authenticity tested; places where young men and women are offered wise and strong spiritual direction.”
He saves the final word for the family stating, “Within the family, young people can have a wonderful experience of this self-giving love. Indeed, families are not only the privileged place for human and Christian formation; they can also be the primary and most excellent seed-bed of vocations to a life of consecration to the Kingdom of God, by helping their members to see, precisely within the family, the beauty and the importance of the priesthood and the consecrated life.
“May pastors and all the lay faithful always cooperate so that in the Church these homes and schools of communion may multiply, modelled on the Holy Family of Nazareth, the harmonious reflection on earth of the life of the Most Holy Trinity.”
Tuesday, February 14th, 2012