We should always pray for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. As the Lord instructs, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”
As a diocese we have been blessed with an abundance of vocations to the priesthood throughout the years. This past week there where three ordained and in the year to come there will be four. Father Zach Griffith, now assigned to a parish in Chattanooga, was ordained three years ago and was a vocation that was fostered from this parish community.
Every priest has a past. They, like all of us, come from a family. They have their own personality, their limitations, and their interests. Some entered seminary following high school and others did later in life after pursuing other endeavors. Priests did not just come from nowhere and thus I am confident in saying that there are people in this parish community who are called to be priests if only they would open their heart to receive this call.
God calls those among us to answer the call to be His priests, just as He calls people among us towards the religious life, the married life, and those who authentically choose it, the single life. All of us are called to pursue holiness and the vocation that we have received assists us in this pursuit of holiness.
Sadly, we often fail to remain open to prayer and thus the voice of Christ that is being made manifest within our life. If we are unwilling to pray how can we ever discern a vocation? Also, sadly vocations to the priesthood are something which often go discouraged within the home. Without priests we will not have the Eucharist, we will not have the sacrament of confession, and the dying will do so without being anointed.
We need priests and for this reason the Lord has given them to us to continue His ministry on earth. The harvest is abundant therefore we must ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers. This means: (1) We remain open to God’s call through prayer, (2) we pray for vocations, and (3) we support vocations in this community and within the home.
If the Lord is calling you to be His priest we must heed His words: “Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.” At this the apostles laid down their nets and they followed after Him. Likewise, may we go where the Lord leads us no matter that cost. Through the priesthood of Jesus Christ we are given so much let us continue to pray for an increase of vocations and remain open to God’s will for “the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.”
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