Vocation: The Call of the True Shepherd
Monday 22nd July 2024This week, people in our diocese are encouraged to pray for vocations and those serving in ministry in our diocese.
On the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, our Mass readings presented us with the theme of shepherds, an image repeated many times throughout scripture and a paragon of Christian vocation.
Speaking at the Pre-Departure Mass for our upcoming pilgrimage to Lourdes, Canon Michael Cooke – Vicar General for the Diocese of Salford – drew our attention to the theme of shepherds presented in Sunday’s readings.
During the homily, Canon Cooke reminded us of the First Reading, where the prophet Jeremiah describes how the image of shepherd had been corrupted by leaders serving their own needs above those of their sheep, contrasting it to the depiction of the True Shepherd in the psalm and the Gospel, whose spirit of love and service provides the blueprint for every Christian life and vocation.
He said: “All this talk of shepherds – particularly Good Shepherds – leads me to naturally think about praying for vocations.
“We need bishops, priests, and deacons who will be good shepherds for the Church here in our own time and our own place.
“God wants us to have those good shepherds and so we should pray for them and we should encourage those we think would be suitable to at least give some thought to whether or not this might be their vocation.”
Whilst ordained ministries such as the priesthood, the permanent diaconate, and religious life have a clear connection to that image of the Good Shepherd, Canon Cooke is eager to point out that this is a role and task given to each one of us at the moment of our baptism.
He said: “We need to remember that each of us is called, through baptism, to share in Christ’s role as shepherd, but how can we exercise that personal vocation to lead and guide others in the ways of faith?
“We can do it in the way that we interact with others, in the way we care for them and put their needs first.
“Whenever we act to hold people together, rather than be divisive, or we seek to help people follow Christ more closely, rather than them focussing on their own desires and agendas, then we are acting as the kind of shepherds that God wants for his flock.
“Let us follow the Lord, who is our shepherd, who guides us along the right path, who wishes goodness and kindness upon us, and let us invite others to also follow that same shepherd.”
“Come in procession to Lourdes”
Bringing this idea back to our upcoming pilgrimage to Lourdes, Canon Cooke reminded us of the theme of this year’s pilgrimage: “to come in procession to Lourdes”.
Inviting us to reflect on this theme, Canon Cooke reminds us that, through St Bernadette, Our Lady invites us to use this time – whether we are travelling to Lourdes or praying at home – to not simply draw closer to her but, more importantly, to have a renewed encounter with her Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
He said: “Tonight, as we prepare for this year’s pilgrimage, we are being invited to a renewed encounter with our Good Shepherd – the one who wants to guide us and nourish us and encourage us.
“So, let us be open to that renewed encounter, in whatever way Christ will make himself know to us in the days ahead and let us pray for our diocese that the pilgrimage may be a source of grace and blessing for us all.”
If you would like to find out more about vocations in our diocese or speak to one of the team, please email vocations@dioceseofsalford.org.uk or call 0161 817 2226.
Tagged | Catholic Church | Diocese | Lourdes | Prayer | Vocations
