Vocation Sunday
Our prayer life is enriched this week by the occasion of Mother’s Day and Vocation Sunday. All of this is in the week of what has traditionally been called “Good Shepherd Sunday.”
Remarkably, the Gospel, in particular, is very brief. In it Jesus promises two things; eternal life to his flock, also sureness and certainty of to whom we belong. “I give eternal life, and…no one can take (my sheep) out of my hand.” Then Jesus backs up those promises with this: “The Father has given them to me…. the Father and I are one.”
Jesus had shown that he has power over death. He raised a young man to life (Lk 7:14-15). He also raised his friend Lazarus back to life (Jn 11:43). However, Jesus’ power over death was not his alone. For example, Jesus could not raise himself to life. His resurrection came through the power of the Holy Trinity: Father-Son-Spirit (Acts 2:32, and Rom 8:11).
Today we lift up and pray for our mothers, whose power to give life and nurture it in us comes also from God. We also lift up and pray for all who are called to serve with love that is self-sacrificing — in our Church, and in our families, and in our communities at large. We pray for all who make choices to spend their lives serving in spiritual works, child care, teaching, health care, civic leadership, and many other such works. In other words, we pray for all who answer a call to the vocations of leadership in their families, and in all the professions that are at the service of life.
On this Good Shepherd Sunday, we are reminded of how great is our hope and how much we have to be grateful for. We are reminded that God is the source and power behind all of life and behind all who serve our life. We are reminded of the mystery of life that is channeled through our Mothers. We are reminded also to encourage all who are gifted with life-giving and life-saving talents to commit themselves to always using their talents and resources in answer to God’s call to self-sacrifice and service of others.
– Fr. Mark Hoelsken, SJ
