VOCATION SUNDAY

Today is World Day of Prayer for Vocations, a day that Christians are invited to reflect on the meaning of God’s call and to pray for vocations.  When I was studying philosophy in Nigeria, I was assigned to work with the Vocation Director of our congregation. I was once asked to give a conference to some young men who were aspiring to join the congregation. In the conference, I decided to sample their opinion on why they wanted to join us. One was very frank with me; he said ‘I normally perceive the aroma of chicken from your kitchen each time I visit, so I was moved to join you people.’’ It was funny though but that was what made him feel called to religious life. This young man was admitted, and he is doing so well. We all have our vocation histories and stories. To help us reflect on the meaning of the priestly vocation, the church presents to us in today’s gospel the figure of Jesus the Good Shepherd. Last Sunday we saw Our Lord three times giving Peter the charge to “feed my sheep.” In that way he made Peter a shepherd, a pastor. Our Lord continued his work of shepherding his people through Peter and his co-workers: the apostles and disciples, and through their successors: the Pope, the bishops, priests, deacons, catechists, and committed lay people.

Peter was like the captain of a team; by entrusting the work of feeding his sheep to Peter, Jesus was entrusting it to us all. Today we see that this work which Jesus has confided to the church is in danger. In the past forty years many priest have left the priesthood, and vocation to the priesthood is now at an all time low. There are many contributing factors to this crisis but one of them, I believe, is a loss of understanding among the people of God of what the priesthood is supposed to be. That is why on a day like this we will do well to reflect on Jesus the Good Shepherd, because in him we see what a pastor, a shepherd, should be.

In biblical times there were two kinds of shepherds. There was the hired hand for whom keeping the sheep was just the available job. He could move from one flock to the other depending on the conditions of service, but he would not risk his life for them. Seeing the wolves or thieves coming he would flee for dear life and leave the flock at the mercy of the invaders. Jesus said that he is not that kind of shepherd.

Then there is the shepherd-owner of the flock who grows up with the flock and stays with the same flock all his life. He knows each and every sheep in the flock individually. He calls each one by name and could tell you the personal story of each of the sheep, when and where it were born, the problems it has had in life, its personal characteristics, etc. He gives personal attention to each and every one of the sheep. He knows which one is likely to lag behind after a long walk and he would go and carry that one in his arms. He knows which one was likely to stray from the flock and he would keep an eye on that one when they get to dangerous places. He knows which ones are pregnant and need a special kind of food. When attacked by wolves or thieves he would fight to the death to defend even one of his sheep. He is the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.

By the way, the expression "laying down one's life" comes from the fact that the sheep were kept in an enclosed space with only an opening for the sheep to go in and out. At night the shepherd usually lay down across the opening so that the sheep would not wander out and wolves would not get in. The good shepherd accepts personal inconveniences like this for the good of his sheep. If any got lost he would climb mountains and hills looking for it and calling out its name. And whether the lost sheep had fallen into a pit or was trapped in a bush of thorns, as soon as it heard the voice of its master it would bleat and the shepherd would go and rescue it.

By calling himself the Good Shepherd, Jesus shows the kind of leadership that should obtain in the community of his followers. It should be a leadership where each person is called by name. In today’s computerized society we are no longer called by name. We are known by numbers: your cheque book number, your driver's license number, your social security numbers, your credit card number. You are simply number so-and-so. But the Good Shepherd today reminds us that we must not allow that to happen in the church. Each one of us is a distinct personality, with a distinct history and a distinct set of abilities and needs. Like the Good Shepherd, we must show this personal touch in the way we relate to one another. This is the way God relates to us, this is the way priests and all church ministers, including parish secretaries, should relate to the people of God. When people begin to see that we are not just doing a job but a service to God and God’s people, then they will be able to see the meaning of Christian vocation and be more willing to join in this ministry. We pray today for all in pastoral ministry that they may display in their work the qualities of the good shepherd and not those of the hired hand, and we make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.