Good Shepherd Sunday

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Good Shepherd Sunday

 

The image of Jesus as Shepherd is one of the oldest images that we have of Jesus. It is one of single devotion of the shepherd to his flock. Shepherds in the biblical times are very different from today. For example when Jesus says that “I am the gate” in the gospel today the Shepherd would lie down and be the gate at night and sleep there guarding them from danger. The shepherd knew his sheep and they recognized his voice. They would not stray because with him they felt safe. 

Our Good Shepherd is Jesus he is the voice that we follow his is the voice that we hear and although we sometimes go astray we find our way back to him. To follow the Lord and to hear his call is our Vocation in life and after all that what we must do. There are many vocations in the Church to be single, to get married to be a religious or to be a priest. On this good shepherd Sunday I want to focus on one of them the priesthood.

I once asked a young man at the back of Church “You would make a good priest” where his Mother who was standing by his side said “Over my dead body.” It is no wonder with an attitude like that we are in the midst at least in the Western Church of a vocation crisis. In a number of years’ time the number of priests will full significantly. This is something that we must all look at and make it an urgent priority. If we just look at this parish in living memory the number of priests have fallen. So what must we do about it?

We need to pray for vocations every day. By prayer we can support those who are thinking about their vocation. To know that someone is praying for you is the most powerful thing in the world. When I say “I will pray for you” you can see a person completely change. So pray for vocations pray for young men thinking about this fulfilling and extraordinary way of life.

Being a priest is the most wonderful way of life. It is a privilege to be able to walk with people in their many different lives. To listen and to be a servant to people who seek the Lord. Every day is different and I often marvel at the people who come across my path whether it be in the Church or in the pub or in Super Market. It is a joy to be able to say Mass and hear confessions and share the Gospel. I love being a priest. And as I each day understand a little more what my vocation means and how I live it and sometime struggle to live it. I can hardly believe that the Lord has chosen me. And he maybe today calling others in this parish I know for a fact that he is. I can see in others here the struggles and doubts that I went through in hearing my call to be a priest. And there have been times when priesthood has been a challenge and difficult.  But, there was one line of scripture that kept coming back to me and it was on the Seminary chapel “You did not chose me no I chose you.” The lord calls and choses us we should not be afraid to answer his call.

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