God Calling

John 10.11-18
Jesus said to the Pharisees: 11‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away – and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.’

Homily at St Saviour, Scarborough

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd is the one who lays down his life for his sheep” (John 10.11-18)

 

Today we are asked to reflect on the Christian vocation we each have as a result of our baptism. Jesus presents himself as the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep and our common vocation is to this holiness and to this means of evangelising the world.

But today we are also especially asked to pray for more vocations to the priesthood and to the consecrated life.

 

Forty five years ago, in 1964, Pope Paul VI instituted this annual ‘World Day of Prayer for Vocations’ and most other churches have followed suite since. In the Church of England Anglo Catholics have an active programme promoting prayer for more vocations and nurturing vocations among us. One of the clear signs that God’s blessing rests on those of our integrity is that new vocations are being received and responded to all the time.

 

In 2006 a feature film was released onto the general cinema circuit with the title ‘The Good Shepherd’. Contrary to what you might think it wasn’t about Jesus or about the work of the Church. It was about the birth of the Central Intelligence Agency in America. It tells the story through the prism of one man’s life. Edward Wilson believed in America and was prepared to sacrifice everything he loved to protect it. It asks the question ‘Who is the good shepherd? The one who looks after his family or the one who sacrifices all for his country?’ Edward Wilson’s answer was the later.Church modernists try to tell traditionalists that society no longer finds the gospel imagery of shepherds and sheep relevant to urban society but here is a film that says the opposite. The makers clearly believed that the example of ‘The Good Shepherd’ had plenty to say to modern America.

 

The vocation to the priesthood and the religious life is no less than an invitation to imitate Jesus. It involves authentic sacrifice: a giving of oneself to God’s people, a willingness to serve and not to count the cost.

 

Pope Paul VI who introduced this day of prayer to the church in 1964 had this to say when the day was being observed in 1972:

“Be confident that Christ’s invitation is still extended personally in human hearts: It is up to you to help awaken a consciousness of this calling, to counsel generosity in accepting it and perseverance in fulfilling it. You know that you yourselves must radiate authentic Christian joy and that your ministry cannot be devoid of personal prayer and penance. And in the Eucharistic celebration the entire community of God’s people must be united in begging ‘the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest’”.

 

Thank God that he sent Jesus to be our good shepherd and to lay down his life for us.

Thank God that he has never failed to give the priests and religious the church  has needed to proclaim the gospel and nurture the faithful.

Pray for vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life.

Persue your own vocation to holiness and mission with faithfulness and perseverance.