On this Fourth Sunday of Easter, the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, I would like to focus with you on Christ, the Good Shepherd, and the door-keeper, which the Gospel mentions.
I’ll finish with a few reflections on Blessed Catherine’s Starflowers prayer fellowship.
Christ is the only Good Shepherd. Christ is the poimen ho kalos in the Greek text. Christ is the most good shepherd, He is the most beautiful shepherd. He is the one who goes ahead of his flock. This is unusual, because as St. John Chrysostom mentioned, usually the shepherd lets the sheep go ahead of him, and then he follows them (Catena Aurea, vol. 4, pg. 276). Such is not the case with Our Lord – it is He who goes ahead of his beloved sheep, He is the one who scouts out the best path for his well-loved flock, He is the one who faces the dangers head-on, first. When wolves approach the flock, Christ the Good Shepherd, drives them away. Wolves symbolize spiritual and physical dangers that put the sheep in jeopardy.
Christ, the Good Shepherd, needs some help with the flock. He enlists the assistance of a door-keeper, the one who opens the door to the sheepfold. This door-keeper does not have a name in the Gospel text. This somewhat mysterious door-keeper needs to know the voice of the Good Shepherd, because it is the Good Shepherd who calls out to the door-keeper, for him to open the gate. Sometimes the day is dark and foggy – the door-keeper still needs to recognize the voice of Christ, the Good Shepherd, calling out. The door-keeper is the one who watches and stays awake, as the night approaches. Others may be settling down for a good night’s rest, but the door-keeper remains vigilant.
This Sunday, we observe the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. We pray that Christ may call men to associate themselves with his being the Good Shepherd, by accepting the call to priesthood. Priests are configured to the Good Shepherd. They are not the Good Shepherd, but they do share in the Good Shepherd’s being, and in His ministry. Perhaps in the past, we may have had this image of the priest as a middle-class professional, who led a pretty comfortable life, played some golf, did some travelling, was recognized and respected, and whose main task was administration. In today’s Western world, I think that this image needs to change, and has changed. The priest of today needs to be prepared to carry his own cross, the cross of his parishioners, and the cross of the Church. Through the cross, the priest of today needs to be prepared to be purified of his own passions, egotism, and ambition. The priest of today needs to be able to discern the voice of the Good Shepherd speaking to him, among the ever-more enticing distractions of our digital age. As others are partying and being entertained, the priest needs to stay awake and sober, sometimes alone, to warn the flock of approaching dangers. The priest of today needs to love and serve the Church – yes, the wounded Church, in need of purification – but still the Church of Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church, that needs the priest’s love and obedience.
And, if I may add, the priest of today needs to foster a deep and intimate relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary. One of my past professors, Monsignor Rossetti, did scientific studies on why priests were happy, and among the factors predicting happiness among priests was their devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. The beauty of being in a religious order such as the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, is that you can combine the priesthood with a special relationship to Mother Mary. It is through Mary, our Mother and our model, that we, as Oblates, fulfill our mission. To paraphrase St. Eugene de Mazenod, the founder of the Oblates: our goal is first to help people act like reasonable human beings, then help them to become good Christians, then assist them in becoming saints. We do this in and through our oblation, our self-offering, to Mother Mary. The Oblates will be hosting a retreat for vocations later on in May, more information is at the back of the church. And no, you don’t have to be Polish to become an Oblate, but it helps if you like Polish food (I’m kidding).
Finally, a few words about Blessed Catherine’s Starflowers prayer initiative. In the words of our Bishop, Guy Desrochers: “This fellowship of prayer will be called Blessed Catherine’s Starflowers because just as the starflowers cover our forest floors so will these intercessors cover our diocese with the fragrance of prayer. Together, they will form the foundation and the power for all the evangelization efforts in our diocese” (Blessed Catherine’s Starflowers Prayer Booklet, pg. 4). In our diocese, and also at St. Hedwig’s parish, there is a group of people who offer their daily hardships, their illness, their toils and struggles, for the conversion of hearts in the diocese. I think of the many caregivers in our parish – you too can offer your joys and sorrows for the evangelization efforts of the diocese. Members of the Starflowers fellowship are precious cooperators of Christ. They are the ones who in many ways, stay awake with the door-keeper, as he tends the flock. If you are interested in joining this group, please be in touch with the parish office.
On this Fourth Sunday of Easter, the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, I focused with you on Christ, the Good Shepherd, and the door-keeper. God continues to call men to priesthood. I would like to finish with the prayer of the Starflowers’ initiative: “Holy Father, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and of Blessed Catherine of St. Augustine, I offer myself, my daily life, my struggles, my sufferings, and my joys through Jesus, with Jesus, and in Jesus for the intention of the conversion of hearts in the Diocese of Pembroke” (Blessed Catherine’s Starflowers Prayer Booklet, pg. 5).
(Fr. Paweł Ratajczak, OMI, April 30, 2023)