+ Last Sunday, Good Shepherd Sunday, I talked about vocations to
the priesthood, and now this week we look briefly at other “callings” “vocations,” that are God initiated and given for
the good of the Mystical Body of Christ, His Son – which, of course, is the Church!
In the first reading today:
deacons are ordained by the apostles in a ministry of helping, so that they,
the Apostles can devote their full energies to their apostolic mission: of
prayer and confecting of sacraments.
In the second reading: there
is emphasis made that we are all
called to be living stones in the temple
of the Church: a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of
his own, so that we may announce the
praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Part of this “priesthood of
the people” is living to the fullest all the other vocations that contribute to
the smooth running of the Church:
marriage, the single state, the religious state; as well as the many other
ministries of service that are a part of the smooth functioning of a parish:
i.e. Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Acolytes, Music Ministers and the like.
It is our joy and our duty, no
matter where God places and situates us in our life’s work, to announce his praises to everyone,
everywhere. This let us do joyfully and full-heartedly this day and
everyday! It is also our duty, our obligation and our privilege to make a “gospel difference” in the world
in which we live: to think, speak and act as though the “death/resurrection”
“redemption/invitation to eternal life” dynamics are something we believe
deeply in through our own experience of them – due to our baptisms,
confirmations, marriages, and ordinations – and we are witting to witness these
things and share them and bring hope and peace to others because they can see
them alive and active in our lives.
Our vocation – no matter how
it plays out – has this as its core and basis: the HOPE and JOY of life forever
with God – because we cooperated with graces given, promises kept, and a whole
new dimension of living shared!
Amen!
Alleluia!
“This we believe!”
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