Vocation: An experience From Exodus to Life Anew

In the April 2015 issue of the Catholic News Service, Carol Glatz covered Pope Francis’ message on vocations for World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The most striking image and challenge from the Holy Father was for the world to look at vocations as an “exodus to joyfully leave behind all that enslaves us so that we are freed to journey to the Promised Land”. Such a powerful image captures much of what our faith is about and connects all of the parts of our Church’s history to present day. Just as God’s chosen people left their enslavement in Egypt to trust God’s plan for them in the Promised Land, so too must those discerning vocations and those who have committed to Religious Life leave those things that anchor them in one place to move towards bringing about God’s plan for salvation on earth.

In John Bosco’s life, he had to move from a mentality of maintaining order with the young to an attitude of winning over their hearts.  Moreover, he had to let go of control and meet the youth as a good shepherd, making charity as the core of the relationship.

This grass roots approach to charity was inspired by Fr. Joseph Cafasso, John Bosco’s mentor in prison ministry. Early on, the young inmates would treat Fr. Cafasso with disdain and resist his pastoral approach.  But Cafasso slowly won them over by bringing them fresh bread and food.  As trust developed in this ministry, Fr. Cafasso could guide the inmates to look at the future anew where they could make something of substance with their lives after completing their term.

The word prison connotes being locked up.  All of us can get locked up by habits that keep us from living a way that brings about abundance (John 10:10).  By living well an exodus experience, we can let go of habits that impede us from hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd, who laid down his own life to lead us to the Promised Land.  By listening to and abiding with the Good Shepherd, we become God’s free agents to guide others to the Promised Land, especially those in greatest need, where charity and service abound. 

Thus, on this World Day of Prayer for Vocations we join together with the Holy Church to pray for all people- that they may open to hearing their vocational calls and bravely choose to answer it. We ask God to be with those who have answered the call presently- that they may be at peace and filled with joy in all their prayers and works.

 If you are being called to something more, answer!