Vocations Sunday Vespers Homily
St Mary’s Church, Navan
11-May-25
“What speaks to you if you are thinking of a call to the Sacred Priesthood? ”
Dear friends, this evening we gather to hear a voice like no other; this One speaking to our hearts is the Word of God who calls us to follow Him. We come to pray that many men will hear Him and become priests in our time, in our Diocese, and give their lives to speak of Christ’s love, to tell others of this voice like no other. .
What speaks to you if you are thinking of a call to the Sacred Priesthood? Perhaps it is the memory of a good priest who preached well, who cared, who opened your life to God? Maybe you have been inspired by the Mass and its beauty or by seeing the Sacraments celebrated? You may have come back to your faith because of a challenge, or a search for happiness and that path, has brought you to hear Jesus speak to your heart? You may well have always wanted to serve the Lord, ran from it and now, you hear His call for you? It could be the case, you are listening to the voices of fear, of dissention, of, doubt dismissal and are hanging on to the Lord’s call by a thread? Maybe you are listening in or are here thinking, ‘I can dismiss this passing voice and live my life’? In considering a vocation, many voices speak to you, many questions quell up in your heart, perhaps this evening, give Jesus a chance to speak to you, listen to His call for you.
The world speaks a different language. Its vocabulary is based on dismissal; priesthood should be as we would want it. To the informed, the office of the Priesthood is a relic of the past that speaks of a life stymied by rules, by teachings and by institutional norms. The perceived wisdom is, what has a priest to offer that an employee with a social qualification cannot bring? However, despite this often-shouting dismissal in the halls of the well-connected, there is still an overwhelming desire for a deeper voice, a stronger Word that cannot be met by functionaries. This is seen in quiet hospital rooms, where the dying are anointed, in the places where the young have questions that cannot be answered by what they own or who they are influenced by, in moments when a prayer or advice is sought. In all of this, the world comes to the end of its possibilities and Christ speaks in the presence of His priests. The office that Jesus gives is not holding anyone back or placing them in a prison of commands, it is quite the opposite, in so many cases, the priest can be where others cannot go, he brings love to suffering, to questions and to so many situations, he is the “ diffuser of Christian joy” as St Paul VI put it. No amount of pay, of affirmation by the world, can stand in the place of the priest, as he becomes as Christ, with the words of the Holy Mass, where the Lord breaks into time from eternity. In this moment, the priest opens us out to the vast love of Jesus who offers us the Presence of His Body and Blood. In our parishes, priest’s minister in so many ways, they give voice to Christ and allow Him to be heard over the many voices of our time. The Priesthood is not based as the world would see it; it comes from the voice of Jesus Christ who still calls men to follow Him. He is a Word like not other who gives a vocation answered a unique ministry that opens the world to the love of God.
Let us return to the question posed. What speaks to you if you are thinking of a call to the Sacred Priesthood? Us priests may well pose that question too, even as we live our vocation. We can listen to the Lord from today’s Gospel, “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Jesus knows each of us. He calls and we deeply want to know Him too. We want to be with Him, to be as Him and to follow Him. We know that He knows us, as he has given His voice to us; a voice like no other, that speaks in every age of history to the young, the old, the sick those in need and those in places forgotten by others. This is answering the Lord’s call to live His love, to speak His words, to stand at the altar and in every place of question and fear. The language of this world is not our answer, our only solution, our only solace, is the Shepherd-Priest, Jesus Christ whose voice leads us. We can let Jesus speak to our hearts this evening and walk with Him in the call He has given us.
Our new vocation posters, soon to be released, display a priest who holds up Christ as a wedding couple look up, on the day they become one in the Lord. It seems to say that we must all look up to Him who speaks to our hearts. That poster also uses the words of the saintly Bishop Ambrose of Milan who said, “Christ made Priests the vicars of His love.” The priest is not a power broker, entitled or a player in this world; he is an icon of the Christ who loves, gives and never counts the cost. St Ambrose knew this as a priest who held up Jesus every day and gave his voice to His.
Before we conclude with a Vocation prayer, I thank Father Declan and the team here for their warm welcome, I thank my brother priests for their witness and example and all of you for being here in prayer. Let us pray now for vicars of Christ’s love who will let His voice be heard in the years ahead.
Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood
O Lord, my God, You renew the Church in every age by raising up priests outstanding in holiness, living witnesses of Your unchanging Love. In Your Plan for our salvation You provide shepherds for Your people. Fill the hearts of many men with the spirit of courage and love that they may answer Your call generously. Give parents the grace to encourage vocations in their family by prayer and good example. Raise up worthy priests for Your Altars and ardent, but gentle servants of the Gospel. Give the Church more priests and keep them faithful in their love and service. Amen
Very Rev. Tony Gonoude
Priest of the Diocese of Meath, Parish Priest of Ballynacarrigy, Vocations Director.