On March 8th, Pope Francis published his message on the occasion of the 57th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, a time when the crisis of the pandemic caused by Covid-19 was beginning to come to the surface. The gospel text that the Pope chose is Matthew 14:22-38 … a passage that narrates the events surrounding the storm at sea and Jesus walking on the waters and calming the disciples. Could a more appropriate biblical text have been chosen for this time of world distress.
Francis’ reflection revolves around four words: gratitude, encouragement, pain, and praise. With those four words the Pope weaves together a wonderful vocational itinerary just as the winds of the pandemic have begun to shake our little company that is traveling in Peter’s boat.
Gratitude
Pope Francis states that every vocation is born of that gaze of love with which the Lord came to meet us, perhaps even at a time when our boat was battered by the storm. Vocation, more than our own choice, is a response to the Lord’s unmerited call.
In many countries the pandemic has emptied our churches, programs have been cancelled and the hurried life of the members of the Congregation has been slowed down, providing them with an opportunity to return their glance to some basic questions regarding their vocation: Why are we here? What is the reason for our option in life? Then, we hear the questioning words of Vincent de Paul: God is the one who calls us and who, from all eternity, has destined us to be Missioners, since he did not bring us to birth either one hundred years earlier or later, but precisely at the time of the institution of this Company (CCD:XI:98).
We have always known that God took the initiative in calling us to be servants of the poor, but seldom have we had to time to deepen our understanding of that reality, Now, however, is the time to respond to that call with a sense of gratitude.
Encouragement
When the disciples see Jesus walking towards them on the sea, they first think that he is a ghost and are filled with fear. Jesus immediately reassures them with words that should constantly accompany our lives and our vocational journey: “Take heart, it is I; have no fear” (Matthew 14:27).
It is impossible to be a member of the worldwide family of Vincent de Paul and view with indifference the millions of people who have been infected by the virus, the one hundred and seventy thousand people who have died, the countless number of people who are unemployed, and the extreme levels of poverty that have not been seen for several decades. Nevertheless, in the midst of this fear which encompasses humankind (especially our lords and masters), we find in Jesus that word that refreshes and renews our missionary vocation: Courage!
Fatigue
Nothing causes greater harm to the missionary endeavor than a witness of personal frustration and nothing enhances that endeavor more than well-formulated proposals, accompanied by joyful witness and a sense of vocational fulfillment on the part of those who have been sent to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. In this regard, the Pope refers to that “sweet sorrow”, that is, the interior discouragement that holds us back from experiencing the beauty of our vocation.
It is in Peter’s boat, face to face with Jesus Christ, the evangelizer of the poor, that the conversion of the heart of those who have been called to be fishers of humankind begins. This is an excellent time to enter into a process of missionary conversion, beginning with our own life, apostolate and ministry. That is how a renewed culture of vocations is born.
Praise
The fourth concept is the symphony of the culture of vocations: praise of God. Vincent de Paul stated: you know that the first act of religion is to praise God. Let us go further; it even takes precedence over sacrifice (CCD:XII:265).
Vocational success is not found in numbers just as success in the mission is not found in the number of activities that are planned and brought to fruition. Furthermore, we were not called to be successful but to praise God through missionary service on behalf of those men and women who are poor … everything else is extra.
Accepting the vocational challenge that this pandemic presents to us should not be reduced to “changing channels” (moving from traditional means to social networking) but rather should be viewed as an opportunity to change our heart, to allow the voice of Jesus to guide our life and to revitalize the call that at one time led us to opt to follow him in fulling the same mission as did Vincent de Paul.
Therefore, perhaps on this Fourth Sunday of Easter, our prayer for vocations might take on a special significance. Perhaps we will take the resolution to pray with our life, to pray with gratitude, and encouragement, to pray during times of fatigue, and above all to pray and praise our God.
By: Fr. Rolando Gutiérrez, CM
Vice-Province of Costa Rica
