World Day of Prayer for Vocations
On May 11, 2025, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, the 62nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations will be held on the theme: “Pilgrims of Hope: The Gift of Life”. An excerpt of the message from the Holy Father:
Pilgrims of Hope: The Gift of Life
Dear sisters and brothers,
On this, the 62nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, I wish to extend to you a joyful and encouraging invitation to become pilgrims of hope by generously offering your lives as a gift.
A vocation is a precious gift that God sows in our heart, a call to leave ourselves behind and embark on a journey of love and service. Every vocation in the Church, whether lay, ordained or consecrated, is a sign of the hope that God has for this world and for each of his children. Nowadays, many young people feel dismayed as they look to the future. Often, they experience insecurity about their prospects of employment and a profound identity crisis, a crisis of meaning and values, which the confused messages of the digital world only aggravate. The unjust treatment of the poor and vulnerable, the indifference of a complacent and self-centered society, and the brutality of war all threaten the hopes for a fulfilling life that young people cherish in their hearts. Yet the Lord, who knows the human heart, does not abandon us in our uncertainty. He wants us to know that we are loved, called and sent as pilgrims of hope.
We, the adult members of the Church, and priests in particular, are called to acknowledge, discern and accompany the young on their vocational path. You, young people, for your part, are called to set out on that path, together with the Holy Spirit, who awakens in you the desire to make your lives a gift of love. -Pope Francis, March 19, 2025, Read the entire message at www.vaticanva.com
Will you make a special effort to ask the Lord for vocations to the priesthood and religious life?
- Pray for the priests who have ministered to you throughout your life, both living and dead.
- Encourage your children, grandchildren, or other young people to consider a vocation as a priest or religious brother or sister.
- Pray a rosary for more young men and women in our diocese to respond to God’s call.
GROW AS A DISCIPLE
“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” The spiritual riches contained in this line alone are enough to sustain us for a lifetime. First, we rejoice that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, calls us his own. We belong to him who, like the shepherds of bygone days, protects his sheep – capable of little in the way of self-defense – even at the cost of his own life. Also, among the distinctive marks of Jesus’ sheep are that they hear his voice and follow him. Thus, to be part of Christ’s flock involves not only being known by him but knowing him and heeding his call. A sheep who has not attuned its ears to the voice of its shepherd is a lost sheep! Although the world’s fertile meadows may look inviting, not to attune our ears to the voice of Christ means exposing ourselves to the dangers of a life apart from God. On the other hand, if we make our pilgrimage of life with him, we abide within the protective confines of his love until the day we follow him into the pastures of eternal life.
GO EVANGELIZE
Frequently, our free will (something we do not share with sheep) gets in the way of our ability to heed the Shepherd’s voice. For us, his voice is expressed in concrete ways: in his commandments, in the teachings and tradition of his Church, in the Scriptures, in our legitimate superiors, and in prayer. These are the means he uses to mark out the path he wishes us to follow. But this path always involves the cross, and our sheepish (pun intended) nature recoils at the sight of suffering. In today’s second reading, however, St. John’s vision offers the key to overcoming our resistance: “For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them.” In other words, Jesus, our Divine Shepherd, is also a lamb who has tread the difficult way of the cross. He is the Lamb of God who offered himself in a sacrifice of perfect obedience to his Father’s will. Thus, we do not embark along the way of obedience and suffering alone; Jesus walks before us to sustain and protect us along the way.
OBSERVE
Find an image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd online and spend 15 minutes praying about what you see. What is the Shepherd’s attitude toward his sheep, and the sheep’s attitude toward their Shepherd? What do we learn from this about our relationship with Christ?
By the Faithful Disciple