National Vocation Awareness Week

The week following the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is National Vocation Awareness Week. It is a time to pray for and promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life. For five years, I had the opportunity to work in our vocation office in the Diocese of Salina, Kansas. It was a tremendous experience and it gave me a wonderful opportunity to walk with individuals as they discerned their vocation and prayed about what God was calling them to do. Even though I am out of the office, I still keep in mind that I am a vocation director because I have to do my part to encourage others, especially our young people to think about a vocation in the church. One of the reasons we observe vocations week now is that we can focus on the baptismal call that we have all received by virtue of our own baptism. That baptismal call is to proclaim the Good News and continue the mission of the church. Vocations are an important part of that mission because the need for priests and religious is great. As the voice of the Father said in the gospel for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, listen to him." We need to listen to the voice of the Lord who calls us to follow him daily. It's like I heard a priest say one time, "We do not have a shortage of vocations, we have a shortage of listeners." For each of us, there is the universal call to holiness. We need to listen to that call in our lives, just as those discerning a vocation need to listen to their call as well. Let us do what we can, not only this week, but each day, to listen to the voice of God and pray for and promote vocations, that men and women will listen to that call in their lives. God Bless You!!!