Our Vocation Should Be A Labor Of Love

9 Dec

“Sweetest Lord, make me appreciative of the dignity of my high vocation, and its many responsibilities. Never permit me to disgrace it by giving way to coldness, unkindness, or impatience.”  ~ St. Teresa of Calcutta

In this morning’s gospel, we hear the Lord tell His followers that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.  He told His followers to “ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”  He was speaking, of course, about the “shepherds” that the people so desperately needed.

We all need people to help guide our faith journeys.  We need good priests, deacons, brothers, sisters, and dedicated lay ministers to show us, by their example, that God loves us and cares for us.  If we do it properly, there is never any room for coldness, unkindness, or impatience, as St. Teresa of Calcutta told her followers.

The harvest is still plentiful and the laborers decline in numbers drastically.  There are less priests, deacons, brothers and sisters to guide us.  The numbers have been declining for quite some time now.  Perhaps it is because our society has a hard time when it comes to commitment.  To see that, all we have to do is take a look at the divorce rate.  More people lack the ability to commit to marriage than ever before.  Why should religious life be any different?

It should be different.  There should be a huge throng of people coming forward to commit their lives to the Lord in service of His people.  But that does not seem to be the case.  That is why I am asking you today to pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and religious life.  Pray, as well, for an increase in dedicated lay ministers.  Finally, pray for the faithful that they may do all that they can to remain close to the Lord and do His will as they live out their lives in the world.

FAITH ACTION:  Follow the request of Jesus in today’s Gospel.  As you pray today, “ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”