We Are Called!

Each one of us is called to be a disciple of Jesus! Our Lord gives us this invitation in the gospels when he tells us that if we wish to be his disciple we must pick up our cross and follow him. Here are some other calls that come to mind and we have heard them this week. The first, Matthew 9:32-38, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so as the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." That is a great call for vocations. We are to pray for vocations, especially to the priesthood and religious life. One commentator even spoke about lay people and their call to be involved in the church. If God is calling you to the diaconate, priesthood, religious life, or maybe a particular ministry in the church, it would be good to listen and pray about it. Let God touch your lives in a special way. The second call is, Matthew 10:1-7, Jesus calling the twelve disciples. He sent them out to find the lost sheep and to proclaim that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Times and situations have changed over the centuries but the call to follow the Lord is still the same. Our challenge is to listen to that call in our lives. As one priest said one time, "We do not have a shortage of vocations, we have a shortage of listeners." God is always calling us to live holy, faithful, dedicated, and prayerful lives. Let us be open to that call and follow the Lord each day of our lives! God Bless You!!!