Vocations Sunday
For years we prayed for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. Nowadays we recognise the vocation of every Christian to be the light of Christ.
Jesus announced that his mission would be the kingdom or reign of God in the world. His taskforce would be the assembly of followers, later called the Church. In a vastly changed world, the Church of tomorrow will not be the same as the Church of the past.
A Hidden Treasure
Jesus once described the kingdom of God as a hidden treasure. The treasure too long hidden is the grace of baptism received by every Christian. It is a vocation, a call to bring the light of Christ to others. According to the late Pope Francis, Spirit filled evangelisers are what the Church needs today. ‘How I long to find the words to stir up enthusiasm for a new chapter of evangelisation full of fervour, joy, generosity, courage, boundless love and attraction!’
Pope Francis and now Pope Leo have asked the Church to engage in Synodality, a method going back to the days of the apostles. A synod literally means walking together. It means discussing what needs to be changed, but above all, listening to the Holy Spirit.
For many people today the Church is irrelevant, so they have walked away in another direction. But there is an emptiness in the jigsaw of the heart that only God can fill. A renewed Church will be closer to the ideals of the Gospel. People will recognise Jesus as the keystone of life.
Let us trust in the Holy Spirit who transformed the confused apostles into zealous missionaries.