Commentary on Acts 13:14,43-52, Revelation 7:9,14-17, John 10:27-30

In the First Reading, Paul (as he is now called) and Barnabus say to the people of Antioch in Pisidia:

…the Lord has commanded us, saying,
‘I have set you to be a light for the gentiles,
so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’

We are then told that:

When the gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the word of the Lord, and as many as had been destined for eternal life became believers.

Today, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, is commonly known as ‘Good Shepherd Sunday’ (because the Gospel is taken from Jesus’ teaching in chapter 10 of John’s Gospel about himself as the Good Shepherd). But it is also known as ‘Vocation Sunday’ because on this day we pray especially that more may answer the call to serve the Church in a special way (as did Paul and Barnabus), particularly as pastors and religious.

In his various letters, Paul speaks strongly of the unity of faith and love that binds all Christians together. Jesus at his Last Supper also prayed that all his followers be one. This would be the most potent sign of his presence among us.

But Paul also emphasises another important characteristic. Unity does not mean uniformity; it does not mean that all are exactly the same. We are not clones. Quite the opposite, in fact. He speaks of a huge variety in the Christian community. It is this variety that makes the unity so striking. This variety is based on the special gifts that each one has received. These gifts are called ‘charisms’. “Charism” comes from the Greek word charis which means a gift or grace.

Like the human body
In his First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul compares the Christian community to the human body (see 1 Cor 12:12-31). The body consists of a large number of separate organs, external and internal. Each one has its own particular functions, which are totally different from others. He writes:

Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. (1 Cor 12:14-18)

Paul continues:

But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable… If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 Cor 12:24-27)

The parts of the Christian body
But in the body that is the Christian community, what are these parts? They are the charisms, the special gifts and abilities which have been given to each one by the Holy Spirit. There are no exceptions! And these gifts are given for just one purpose: to build up the whole body of the Christian community, the Church. They are not just for me, they are not even just to help me become a holy person.

Again in his First Letter to the Christians of Corinth, Paul lists some of the main charisms:

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work powerful deeds? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? (1 Cor 12:28-30)

What is my charism?
In our parish we might ask, “Are all priests? Are all sisters? Are all Scripture readers? Are all choir directors or choir members?” But we can also ask each one here: “What is your charism? What have you been given so that you can make a personal contribution to the life of this community?” Maybe it is as a parent forming children; maybe it is as a teacher educating young people not just to know mathematics and geography, but to become constructive members of our society and Church; maybe it is as a civil servant, a policeman, a fireman, or a businessman, an engineer or as an architect. The question is: how do you express your Christian faith through your daily work? How do you serve the Christian community by what you do?

All are called
The first thing we need to say on this Vocation Sunday is that every single person here has a vocation, every single person here has been and is being called by God through the Holy Spirit to offer their special gifts to the rest of the community. What is your vocation? What is your special gift? What contribution are you making to the life of this parish both inside the Church and outside it?

Today we are being asked to pray in a special way for particular types of vocations which are very necessary for the life of the Church. We need pastoral shepherds for our parish communities and we do not have enough. We need the special witness that religious give through lives of celibacy, poverty and obedience.

What we are praying for is not so much more vocations, because the Holy Spirit is surely calling those who are needed for the service of the Church. Rather we are praying that those who are being called will answer the call.

Praying for other people
At the same time, while we pray fervently for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and give generously in the collection for the seminary, there is a real danger that we are praying for other people’s vocations—for other parents to generously encourage their children to enter the seminary of the convent.

No, Vocation Sunday is for all of us here. On the one hand, each one needs to reflect on what their particular calling is and how they can respond to it for the well-being of the whole parish community. Secondly, we each need to help and not be an obstacle to others in responding to the particular calling or grace that God through his Spirit is giving them.

We sometimes speak of a ‘vocation crisis’. There is no vocation crisis in the sense that everyone has a vocation. There is no vocation crisis in that far more lay people are now being formed for pastoral service in the Church than was the case in even the relatively recent past. There is a crisis in that too many are not aware of their vocation or, if they are, they are not responding to it. Let us pray today that every one of us here will be sensitive to the guidance of the Spirit in our lives and that we may respond generously to the calls which he is making on us. If we all actively responded to that call what a wonderful community we would be!