Sunday Reflections

Today is the 4^th Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, and also World Day of Prayer for Vocations. I’ve been thinking about vocations a lot recently. I am blessed, as an Apostle of the Resurrection, to have gotten to know most of the Canadian Resurrectionist priests and brothers quite well. It can be easy, if you don’t get to know your parish priest personally, to think that they’re all the same. All of them performing the same sacraments, reading from the same scriptures, offering the same pastoral care. But as I have come to understand and be grateful for, each brother and priest in the Congregation of the Resurrection is a unique individual, called in their own unique way to offer their unique gifts for the people of God.

In the Canadian Province of Resurrectionists we have priests and brothers who speak English, Polish, Italian, and Swahili. We have men who were math professors, gym teachers; we have a professor of moral theology, and many others who worked or still work in the education system, including training new religious. We have pastors, associate pastors, administrators, and caregivers. We have members who received their undergrad, all the way up to people with PhDs. There are brothers who excel at gardening and priests who are excellent chefs. We have members who can play musical instruments and those who can program a computer or understand a financial audit. But not one of our members is good at all of these things.

I offer this rather long list to show that, no matter what your strengths or weaknesses, no matter whether you feel worthy or good enough, don’t discount yourself. God has a vocation for each one of us, so when you are considering your path in life, keep an open mind and consider religious life and priesthood as a possibility.

In our reading from Acts today we are reminded that God did not turn his back even on the people who condemned Jesus to death.  God does not turn his back either on us. Psalm 23, the reading from Peter and the Gospel of John all teach that Jesus is our Good Shepherd, that if we follow him and enter the pasture though his gate, then no matter the hardships we may face, we will be cared for and blessed.

As Jesus called his disciples and sent them out to the world as apostles, so God calls some of his children to continue this work of sharing the Good News with the world, of offering comfort and care for those in distress, of teaching and nurturing growth, of shepherding his flock. This day, as we pray for those who have already answered the call to be shepherds in the church, let us pray also that we may each be open to the vocation God has planned for us, and that the Holy Spirit may guide us. May the unconditional love of the Risen Lord inspire us to work together for the Resurrection of society.