MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI TO THE XLVIII
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
15 MAY 2011 - FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Topic: "Propose vocations in the local Church"
Dear brothers and sisters
art to promote and care for vocations is a shining landmark in the pages of the Gospel in which Jesus calls his disciples to follow him and educates them with love and care. The way in which Jesus called his closest collaborators to announce the Kingdom of God is to be particular attention (cf. Lk 10.9). First, it clearly appears that the first act has been praying for them, before you call, Jesus spent the night alone in prayer and in listening to the will of the Father (cf. Lk 6, 12), interior at an elevation above the ordinary things. The calling of the disciples was born precisely in the intimate conversation of Jesus with the Father. Vocations to the priesthood and religious life are primarily the result of constant contact with the living God and an earnest prayer that rises to the "Lord of the harvest" in both parish communities as in Christian families and vocational coteries.
The Lord, at the beginning of his public life, called some fishermen, committed to working shores of Lake Galilee, "Come along with me and will make you fishers of men" (Mt 4, 19). He showed his messianic mission with many "signs" indicating his love for humanity and the gift of the Father's mercy, the educated with the word and life, that they might be willing to continue his work of salvation; finally, "knowing that it was time to pass from this world to the Father" (Jn 13.1), entrusted with the memorial of his death and resurrection and, before being raised to heaven, he sent everyone to the mandate: "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Mt 28:19).
The proposal that Jesus makes to those who say 'Follow me' is difficult and exultant: the invited into their friendship, to listen closely to his word and live with Him taught total dedication to God and the dissemination of United under the law of the Gospel: "Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (Jn 12.24), invites them to leave the closed own will themselves, their idea of \u200b\u200bself, to plunge another will, God, and be guided by it, makes them live a fraternity that is born of the total availability to God (cf. Mt 12, 49-50), and that becomes the hallmark of Community of Jesus: "The mark by which know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (Jn 13, 35).
Also today, following Christ is hard, it means learning to have the look of Jesus, to know intimately, to hear the Word and find in the sacraments means learning to conform one's will with it. This is a true and proper training school for those preparing to the ministerial priesthood and to consecrated life, under the guidance of the competent ecclesiastical authorities. The Lord never call at all stages of life, to share its mission and serve the Church in the ordained ministry and consecrated life, and the Church "is called to guard this gift, to rectify and love. She is responsible for the birth and maturing of priestly vocations "(John Paul II, Apost. Ap. Postsynodal Pastores Dabo Vobis, 41). Especially in our time that the voice of the Lord seems drowned out by "other voices" and the proposal to follow, giving one's life can seem too difficult, whole Christian community of the faithful, should assume consciously committed to promoting vocations. It is important to encourage and support those that show clear signs of the call to the priesthood and religious consecration, to feel the heat of the whole community to say 'yes' to God and the Church. I encourage myself, as I have with those who already decided to enter the seminary, who wrote: "You have done well. For men, even in the age of technological dominance in the world and globalization, will continue to need God, God in Jesus Christ and that brings us together in the universal Church, to learn with him and through him the true life, and be present and operational criteria for a true humanity "(Letter to Seminarians, October 18, 2010).
each local church should be made increasingly sensitive and responsive to vocational ministry, teaching at various levels: family, parish and voluntary sectors, mainly boys, girls and young - as Jesus did with the disciples to mature in them a genuine and affectionate friendship with the Lord, grown in personal and liturgical prayer, to learn to listen carefully and fruitful of the Word of God, by a growing familiarity with the Scriptures, to understand that venture into the will of God does not kill and does not destroy the person, but to discover and follow the deepest truth about themselves, to live free and brotherhood in relationships with others, because only opening to the love of God is like is the true joy and fulfillment of aspirations. "Propose vocations in the local church," means having the courage to show, through a careful and proper vocations, the arduous path of following Christ, which, being filled with meaning, it can mean life . I am writing
especially you, dear brothers in the episcopate. To provide continuity and spread your mission of salvation in Christ is important to increase as soon as possible "priestly and religious vocations, putting special interest in missionary vocations" (Decree Christus Dominus , 15). The Lord needs your help to make your calls to reach the hearts of those who have chosen. Be careful in the choice of pastoral agents for Diocesan Vocations Centre, valuable tool for the promotion and organization of vocational ministry and prayer that supports it and ensures its effectiveness. In addition, I would like to remind you, dear Brother Bishops, the application of the universal Church by a balanced distribution of priests in the world. Your availability to the diocese vocation shortage is a blessing from God to your communities and for the faithful is evidence of a priestly service that opens generously to the needs of the whole Church.
The Second Vatican Council pointed out explicitly that "the duty of fostering vocations pertains to the entire community of the faithful, who must seek, above all, with a fully Christian life" (totius Optatam Decr. , 2) . Therefore wish to address a special fraternal greetings and encouragement to those collaborate in various ways in parishes with priests. In particular, I turn to who can make their own contribution to the pastoral care of vocations, priests, families, catechists, animators. I recommend to priests who are able to bear witness of communion with the Bishop and the other brothers, to ensure vital humus to new outbreaks of priestly vocations. That families are "animated by a spirit of faith, charity and piety" (ibid ) capable of helping children generously to accept the call to priesthood and religious life. Catechists and leaders of Catholic associations and movements Church, convinced of its educational mission, to seek to "cultivate teenagers entrusted to them so that they can feel and still in good spirits divine vocation" (ibid ).
Dear brothers and sisters, your effort in promoting vocations and takes care of the full meaning and pastoral effectiveness when performed in the unity of the Church and is intended to serve communion. Therefore, each moment of life of the ecclesial community - catechesis, formation meetings, liturgical prayer, pilgrimages to shrines, is a precious opportunity to awaken in the people of God, particularly among the smallest and youth, the sense of belonging to the Church and the responsibility of responding to the call to priesthood and religious life, undertaken with a free and conscious choice.
The ability to cultivate vocations is a characteristic sign of the vitality of a local church. Confidently and insistently invoke the aid of the Virgin Mary, that, with the example of their welcome to the divine plan of salvation and his effective advocacy, it can diffuse into the interior of each community's willingness to say 'yes' to Lord, who always called new workers to his harvest. With this hope, I impart to all of you my Blessing See.
Vatican, November 15, 2010
Benedict PP. XVI
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