Sunday Reflection with Fr Terry Tastard - 15 May 2011

Praying hands - Durer

On this Sunday the Catholic Church often turns its thoughts to vocations. All of us have a vocation. We are called to holiness. This is our commissioning through our baptism. Now, I sometimes think that I have only to use the word 'holiness' for people to run a mile. Holiness is associated either with 'holier than thou' on the one hand, or with impossibly high standards of conduct on the other. Well, let's think about it from another angle.

In Galatians 5.22-23 St Paul gives us a list of the fruits of the Spirit, which grow out of our life in Christ. These are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Which of us would not want these for ourselves? And this is holiness, in everyday terms that we can understand. Moreover, it is a holiness within which our other vocations can make sense. If you are a husband or wife or parent, you would want these gifts to help you in those roles. If you are a teacher or a social worker or in almost any other public employment, you would want these things. Holiness is inseparable from our daily struggles - and our daily longings. This is our vocation.

Even so, holiness is not an achievement. Rather, it is a gift made possible by God's grace. As we come to God in prayer, the sacraments, in acts of kindness or generosity to neighbour, so God's grace flows more freely within us. As we co-operate with that grace, we are slowly being set free to love God and neighbour. Love enables love. Generosity enables generosity. This is holiness at the very core of our being. You can see, however, that this shared universal vocation draws strength from other, very specific vocations. The vocation to the vowed life as a religious sister or nun puts women in positions where their whole way of life can be an inspiration to others. Vocation to being a deacon enables a man to continue in secular employment while being authorised to preach and to assist at Mass, as well as to baptise and to marry. The vocation to the priesthood carries with it the privilege of being able to walk alongside others bringing them the bread of life, and sharing with them in moments of joy and moments of sorrow.

These vocations ask a sacrifice, but they also bring with them a blessing. In our present culture there are still men and women who are asking, deep in their hearts, if such a vocation might be for them. In the present age of scepticism it can be difficult for someone considering a vocation to share their thoughts with others. Let us be sure that if we give every support and encouragement to anyone who has the courage to step forward and put themselves at the full-time service of Christ and the Christian community.

In our opening prayer today we ask God: 'Give us new strength from the courage of Christ our shepherd.' May all of us, whatever our walk of life, draw strength from Christ's courage, and in that strength go out cheerfully into the world seeking to bring the life and love of God made visible in Christ into our daily living.

Fr Terry is Parish Priest at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Brook Green, west London. His latest book: Ronald Knox and English Catholicism is published by Gracewing at £12.99 and is available on Amazon, on ICN's front page. To read Sr Gemma Simmonds' review on ICN see: www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=16114