he message of the Holy Father on occasion of the 39^th World Day of Prayer for Vocations coincided with the fourth Sunday of Easter (April 21, 2002), and the Feast of The Good Shepherd. He opens up with the words of the Apostle Paul to his Christians in Rome: “Beloved of God and saints by vocation, grace and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rm. 1:1)

The Pope uses such greeting as a reminder, an exhortation, and assurance. He reminds us of our true and inalienable identity as God’s beloved, exhorts us lead a life worthy of our calling as holy people, and assures us that God gives us all we need for this mission in His gifts of grace and peace. Situated in the context of the Feast of the Good Shepherd, the exhortation to be holy takes back its original apostolic meaning. Since the metaphor of shepherd-sheep refers to Jesus and the believer, we are called not only to hear his voice and to follow Him, but even more so to become like Him.

Although the image of the Good Shepherd is generally applied only to those who exercise some kind of pastoral ministry in the church, it actually does bear a much wider meaning. The person of the Good Shepherd, who is ready to lay down his life in order to protect his sheep from harm, becomes more alive when we realize that because He loves us, we cannot but love Him and the ones He loves with the same love and passion. Now, these are not two loves, but one and the same. Because to experience oneself as both the sheep -our hearts desiring to hear his voice and be with him-, and shepherd -our faith impelling us to hear the voice of the people and be with them in service- simultaneously is to grasp a mystery that lies at the very heart of being a true disciple of Jesus.

The Holy Father wants the words “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, Am Holy” (Lev. 19:2) to resonate in our hearts and minds. For it is only in the conviction that by virtue of our baptism we all share into God’s Holiness, that we will come to realize that settling for a life of mediocrity, marked by a minimalist ethic and a shallow religiosity, represents a total contradiction to the person and message of Jesus, and to the mission he entrusted to all who believe in Him. The Pope reaffirms that the time has come to re-propose wholeheartedly to everyone the high standard of Christian ordinary living: a life of holiness.

“What is holiness, and how can you be holy? Holiness is intimacy with God… an unreserved love for all humanity."

But, what is holiness, and how can you be holy? Holiness is intimacy with God. It is the imitation of the life-example of Christ. It is unreserved love for all of humanity, and a giving of oneself on their behalf and for their true good. Where do you find holiness, and who can lead you along the path of holiness? Holiness has its home in the Christian community and its school in the Christian family. These are environments in which we help one another to discover and fulfill our own vocation by attentive listening to God’s Word, constant prayer, assiduously participating in the Sacraments, and incessantly seeking Christ’s face in every human being.

Now, if God’s holiness reveals itself within each state and situation of life, is experienced according to each one’s gifts, and assures that all Christians may become laborers in the vineyard of the Lord. Are we to say that vocations to ordained ministry and consecrated life are outdated and unnecessary? Absolutely not, for such states of life are precious and unique gifts, “which demonstrate that even today, the following of Christ poor, chaste and obedient, the witness to the absolute primacy of God, and the service to humanity in the manner of the redeemer, represent privileged paths towards the fullness of spiritual life.”

Jesus keeps calling people be his companions in this privileged intimacy. But along with it, there comes the expectation of unwavering faithfulness, consonant with the apostolic ministry to which He calls them. There is also a demand of faith in the powers they receive, as well as prayer and fasting as effective tools of apostolate and unselfishness. He expects from them prudence together with simplicity and moral rectitude, and abandonment to Divine Providence. They must also be aware of the responsibilities they assume, as they are administrators of the sacraments and laborers in His vineyard. The question is: do you have what it takes?

The message of the Pope is clear. If we want to ensure an abundance of vocations to the priesthood and religious life, we need to remember our identity, our mission, and our strength. There cannot be a flowering of vocations to ordained ministry or consecrated life without a constant striving for holiness in all sectors of the church, especially Bishops and priests.

May Jesus, the Good Shepherd, increase our ardent desire to make God known to the ends of the earth so that all human beings may achieve the true freedom of the Children of God. May this eagerness lead many, especially the younger generations, to follow the example of Mary by being ready to pronounce a full and generous YES to the Lord who calls them to become ministers of the Word, the Sacraments, and living signs of Christ chaste, poor, and obedient in today’s world.

— Fr. JESUS EUAN. —