This month of February is our deanery month for vocations, and you probably spotted last week that on the back of the bulletin there is a reflection from Luke Theobald, who is from this deanery and training for the priesthood in Rome. But as well as his weekly reflections, I think I also ought to say a few words too, and there’s a bit of meat in each of today’s three readings.
Firstly, though, a bit about the word “vocation”. In Latin, the word vocare means “to call”. In the past the word “vocation” was just used to mean someone being called to the priesthood or the religious life – that was “having a vocation”. But we also recognise today that we all have a vocation in life, a way in which we are called to serve God, and that also therefore includes callings to the married and single life. It might be that your calling is to remain single or to get married, and then through that you serve God through your work, family and extended family and leisure interests. Sometimes, people join new communities for laypeople, whether single individuals or married families, and there are also other “groups” if you like that you can join for your own spiritual development. One I came across some years ago is the Miles Jesu, and part of their spirituality was that a priest can’t be everywhere, and there are certain people that won’t want to speak to a priest, but through the Catholic laity, it’s possible to reach a greater range of people. You could be an aircraft pilot, and it’s through you that your fellow pilots, air stewards and stewardesses have contact with the Church. But that is not to in any way downgrade the priesthood or religious life. One overseas bishop was saying that in mission territories, you know the Church is well-established when vocations to the religious life are produced. Before then, the life of the Church is still in its infancy. Only the mature Church is able to produce those kinds of vocations. Yes, Britain itself is something of a missionary territory, and we need people to respond to the call of Christ, especially with the witness of a life consecrated to God in celibate chastity.
In the readings today we have three examples of people who were called to follow the Lord, and with each of them, they had their personal failings which might have made them wonder whether sometimes they were really up to the job.
In the first reading, Isaiah sees a vision of the Lord, but like other people who encounter God in the Old Testament, he’s afraid that he might die because of having seen the Lord and yet having sin on his soul. One of the angels, one of the seraphim, places a burning coal on his lips which takes away his sin, and then God calls and he responds. No matter what our past, God can forgive us and call us to follow Him, and sometimes that experience of being forgiven in the sacrament of confession or reconciliation, and strengthened by receiving Holy Communion, leads us to appreciate how important those sacraments are and to want to lead others to them as well.
In the second reading, we have the example of someone who has undergone quite a radical conversion. St Paul used to be a great enemy and persecutor of the Faith. But see how he changed. Let’s hear his own words again:
“For I am the least of the Apostles, unworthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. But … his grace towards me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”
If you have seen the film Paul, Apostle of Christ, then you will know that whilst it uses a certain amount of artistic licence, you can imagine St Paul really going through something like this: the film is set at the end of his life, when he’s in prison. He is being tormented by dreams of the people he had put to death for following the Lord, and no doubt the devil is putting doubts in his mind, saying, do you really think you have been forgiven for all the evil you have done? I won’t spoil the ending of the film for you if you haven’t seen it, but yes, he was forgiven when he was baptised, and Christ’s choice of him was not in vain.
Next, St Peter. He was impetuous, and like all of us, had to unlearn some of his own ideas and learn to trust the Lord a bit more. He was a fisherman. He knew all about fishing. In the animation The Miracle Maker, Peter argues with the Lord, not only saying “we toiled all night long and caught nothing”, but he explains to Him that the reason you go fishing in the night, is because during the day the fish hide at the bottom of the sea. It’s only in the night that they come to the surface. “But at your word I will let down the nets.” We can sometimes think we know better, even with regard to our vocation. But the Lord knows what he is doing. After the catch of fish, Peter’s response is to tell the Lord to leave him, “for I am a sinful man”. But that doesn’t deter the Lord. And the rest is history.
It’s our job to make history, with the Lord. In fifty years time, this will be an era that some people will want to remember and go back to. We are called, not to serve the Lord in the future, but now. What are we waiting for? Not even our sins can put off the Lord. He knows what He is doing.
Curious about exploring things further? If you would like to ask further questions about the topics raised in these homilies (or maybe think it wasn’t explained too well!), please feel free to e-mail Fr Michael at stjoseph.thame@rcaob.org.uk