Is God Calling You To Be His Priest?

Acts. 4:8-12; 1 Jn. 3:1-2 & Jn 10:11-18

One of the endearing and popular titles of Jesus is: the Good Shepherd. He it is who oversees and cares for, and sustains the whole community of the Church, like a shepherd tending his flock of sheep. The Pope and the Bishops exercise their ministries on behalf of the Christ, over the universal and local churches, respectively. Priests also, and especially Parish Priests, have a share in Christ’s ministry. Each Priest is called to model his life on Christ who is his Lord and Master, and will have to render an account to Christ for the way he has exercised his priesthood. Today’s Gospel text describes at least two qualities of Christ, the Good Shepherd.

The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep. This is what Our Lord did for us on the Cross, He sacrificed His life. The priesthood is not a business or a professional career; it is a vocation or a call to service. A priest should not be in it for money or for power politics, but for a life of sacrifice, poured out in the service of people, by preaching God’s word, celebrating the sacraments, visiting the sick etc. Another way in which a priest lays down his life is by defending the people from the attacks of their spiritual enemies. These attacks come in the form of erroneous values and practices, atheistic politics and even outright rebellion against the Church’s teaching. Against these attacks, it is the priest’s duty not to run away but to safeguard and uphold the deposit of faith which Christ entrusted to the Apostles and which is guaranteed by the Church’s magisterium. A priest cannot sacrifice the truth for the sake of popularity, and this is where, very often he will meet the cross.

The Good Shepherd knows His sheep and they know Him. Our Lord Jesus knows each of us intimately as He knows the Father. He therefore expects His priests to develop an intimate knowledge of, and loving concern for, His people. A priest does this by meeting the people in the Church and by visiting them in their homes. He has to become familiar with people’s particular situations and their different needs, so that he can act accordingly, consoling the bereaved, admonishing and advising, as the occasion demands, all in a spirit of love. The standard set before each priest is none other than Christ Himself, and yet the priest has just as much a fallen and sinful nature like any other Catholic. So, pray for all priests that they may be faithful to the task entrusted to them by the Lord. Pray also that more men will discover their call to the priesthood and respond generously. And that brings us to today’s theme of Vocations Sunday.

On this Vocations Sunday, we consider, not just the particular call to the priesthood, but indeed all vacations. All of us, by baptism, share a common vocation to be disciples of Christ. However, God then goes on to call each of us further, to live out this baptismal vocation in a particular way, in a specific state of life recognized by the Church. Most of us are called to the high vocation of marriage, many to the single state, some to the priesthood, and others to consecrated life in a religious Order or Secular Institute. God is the one who calls, not we. Our task is not to decide what we want to do, but to discover what God wants us to do, and then to do it with courage.

Today, I invite all young people to consider what God might be calling them to do. To help in this process, I suggest four vital steps.

1. Intensive sacramental life. Go to Mass and Confession regularly and frequently.
2. Set aside time daily for prayer and for reading the Gospel.
3. Discover more about various vocations. Don’t hesitate to go and see what is involved.
4. Have a spiritual director with whom you can talk and discuss these issues.

It is a great privilege to be called by God to a particular vocation. So, discern it carefully and follow it courageously.

Lord Jesus, You commanded us to pray for labourers to work in Your harvest. We do this now by asking You to give us good and holy priests and religious who will walk in Your footsteps and lead Your flock on their journey to heaven.