On the Fourth Sunday of Easter, known as Good Shepherd Sunday, the Catholic Church celebrates the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. In his message, Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, invites the faithful to look to St. Francis of Assisi, whose life was transformed by his encounter with Christ in the person of a leper. He especially encourages young people to “have the courage to make great choices” if they feel called to follow Jesus and live the Gospel.

 

Dear brothers and sisters,
May the Lord give you peace!

On the fourth Sunday of Easter, we celebrate the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Jesus himself, in the Gospel, says, “The harvest is ready, but the workers are few,” and asks us to pray that the Lord send workers for his harvest.

The fundamental vocation we received in Baptism is of holiness, and holiness is manifested in the perfection of love as revealed by Jesus. But among us baptized, God calls some to a particular vocation, a vocation to the priesthood and consecrated life.

In this Franciscan Year, let us look at his vocation. He was the son of a merchant, full of dreams of success and even drawn to a military career, yet he feared lepers and suffering.

After a long period of imprisonment, one day he met a leper. This time he did not flee; he stopped and embraced him. Soon after, in the small church of San Damiano, in Assisi, the crucifix spoke to him and invited him to repair the Church.

From that moment, Francis chose to live according to the Gospel. From the son of a merchant, he became poor to be one with the poor; from a military knight he became a man of peace, he became a promoter of universal brotherhood and praised God for all creatures.

The encounter with the leper and with the crucifix changed his life forever!

Dear young people, if you feel in your heart the attraction of following Jesus, his call to live the Gospel, have the courage to make great choices! A priest, a consecrated person, a catechist will be able to guide you in discerning your vocation.

To all of you, dear faithful, I ask to pray for vocations. May the Lord give us holy families, holy priests, holy people consecrated to God on the path of the evangelical counsels for the greater glory of God.