MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS FRANCISCO52 FOR WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS. MENSAJE DEL SANTO PADRE FRANCISCO PARA LA 52 JORNADA MUNDIAL DE ORACIÓN POR LAS VOCACIONES MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS FRANCISCO …More
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS FRANCISCO52 FOR WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS.
MENSAJE DEL SANTO PADRE FRANCISCO PARA LA 52 JORNADA MUNDIAL DE ORACIÓN POR LAS VOCACIONES
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS FRANCISCO
52 FOR WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
26 APRIL 2015 - FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Topic: Exodus, fundamental experience of vocation
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The fourth Sunday of Easter presents the icon of the Good Shepherd who knows his sheep, calls them by name, feeds and guide. Over 50 years ago this Sunday we celebrate the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. This day reminds us of the importance of praying for that, as Jesus told his disciples, "the Lord of the harvest ... send laborers into his harvest" (Lk 10,2). Jesus gave us this command in the context of a missionary mandate: in addition to the twelve apostles, he called another seventy-two disciples and sent them two by two for the mission (cf. Lk 10.1 to 16). Indeed, if the Church "is missionary by nature" (Conc. Ecumenical Council. Vat. II, Decree. AG 2), the Christian vocation necessarily born into a mission experience. So, listen and follow the voice of Christ the Good Shepherd, letting attract and drive him and devoting one's life to him, means accepting that the Holy Spirit lead us into this missionary dynamism, inspire in us the desire and determination to deliver joyful our life and spend it for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
Deliver's life in this missionary attitude is only possible if we are able to come out of ourselves. So in this 52 World Day of Prayer for Vocations, I want to reflect precisely on that particular "exodus" which is the vocation or better yet, our response to the vocation that God gives us. When we hear the word "exodus", comes to mind immediately the beginning of the wonderful story of God's love with the people of their children, a story that goes through the dramatic days of slavery in Egypt, the call of Moses, release and the road to the promised land. The book of Exodus, the second book of the Bible, which tells this story, is a parable of the whole history of salvation, and also the fundamental dynamics of the Christian faith. In fact, moving from the slavery of old to new life in Christ man is the redemptive work that takes place in us through faith (Eph 4,22-24). This step is a real and true "exodus" is the way of the Christian soul and of the whole Church, the decisive guidance of existence to the Father.
At the root of every Christian vocation is this fundamental movement of the experience of faith: believing mean giving oneself, leave the comfort and rigidity of the self centering our lives in Jesus Christ; leave, like Abraham, the land itself getting underway with confidence, knowing that God will show the way to the new land. This "exit" should not be understood as a contempt of life, the proper way to feel things, of humanity itself; on the contrary, who is on the road following Christ is life in abundance, getting completely available to God and his kingdom. Jesus says, "Whoever leaves me home or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, will receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life" (Mt 19,29). The deep root of all this is love. Indeed, the Christian vocation is above all a call of love that attracts and that means something beyond oneself, or tilting the person starts a "permanent way, as an out of the closed self towards its liberation in the gift of self, and precisely in this way, to the authentic self, even more, to the discovery of God "(Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter. Deus caritas est, 6).
The Exodus experience is a paradigm of Christian life, especially those who follow a vocation of special dedication to the service of the Gospel. It consists of a constantly renewed attitude of conversion and transformation, in an always on the go, on a pass from death to life, as celebrated in the liturgy: the paschal dynamism. Indeed, from the call of Abraham to Moses, from the pilgrimage of Israel through the wilderness to the conversion preached by the prophets, until Jesus missionary journey that culminates in his death and resurrection, vocation is always an action God makes us leave our baseline, frees us from all forms of slavery, takes us out of the routine and indifference and projects us into the joy of communion with God and with others. Answer the call of God, therefore, is to let him make us leave our false stability to begin the journey toward Jesus Christ, beginning and end of our life and our happiness.
This dynamic of the Exodus is not just a personal call, but the missionary and evangelizing action of the whole Church. The Church is truly faithful to his Master to the extent that it is a Church "output" not concerned about herself, for their structures and their conquests, but rather able to go, to get moving, to find the children of God in their real situation and com-passion his wounds. God leaves himself in a Trinitarian dynamics of love, hear the misery of his people and intervenes to save him (cf. Ex 3,7). This way of being and acting is also called the Church: the Church evangelizes comes to meet man, announces the liberating word of the Gospel, heal with God's grace wounds of soul and body, succor the poor and needy.
Dear brothers and sisters, this liberating exodus toward Christ and the brothers is also the way for full understanding of man and the human and social growth in history. Listen and hear the call of the Lord is not a private or intimate question that may be confused with the emotion of the moment; It is a concrete, real and total commitment, which affects all our lives and puts the service of building the Kingdom of God on earth. Therefore, the Christian vocation, based in the contemplation of the Father's heart, while leading to joint efforts for the release of the brothers, especially the poorest. The disciple of Jesus has opened its limitless horizon heart, and his intimacy with the Lord is never an escape from life and the world, but, on the contrary, "essentially configured as missionary communion" (Exhort. Ap. Evangelii Gaudium, 23).
This dynamic of exodus, towards God and man, full of life with joy and meaning. I would especially like to tell the younger, also for its age and the vision that unfolds before your eyes, know how to be available and generous. Sometimes the unknowns and concerns about the future and uncertainties affecting daily life threaten to paralyze their enthusiasm, to curb their dreams, to the point of thinking that is not worth committing and that the God of faith Christian limits their freedom. Instead, dear young people, do not be afraid to leave yourselves and get in the way. The Gospel is the Word which liberates, transforms and makes our life more beautiful. How beautiful it is to be surprised by the call of God, accept His Word, channeling the steps of your life in the footsteps of Jesus in worship to the divine mystery and generous to others delivery. Your life will be richer and happier every day.
The Virgin Mary, model of every vocation, was not afraid to tell her "fiat" to the Lord's call. She accompanies us and guides us. With the generous boldness of faith Mary sang the joy out of herself and trust God with their life projects. To her we turn to be fully available to the plan God has for each of us to grow in us the desire to leave and go, willingly, to meet with others (cf. Lk 1:39). May the Virgin Mother protect us and intercede for us all.
Vatican, March 29, 2015
Palm Sunday
Francisco
MENSAJE DEL SANTO PADRE FRANCISCO PARA LA 52 JORNADA MUNDIAL DE ORACIÓN POR LAS VOCACIONES
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS FRANCISCO
52 FOR WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
26 APRIL 2015 - FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Topic: Exodus, fundamental experience of vocation
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The fourth Sunday of Easter presents the icon of the Good Shepherd who knows his sheep, calls them by name, feeds and guide. Over 50 years ago this Sunday we celebrate the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. This day reminds us of the importance of praying for that, as Jesus told his disciples, "the Lord of the harvest ... send laborers into his harvest" (Lk 10,2). Jesus gave us this command in the context of a missionary mandate: in addition to the twelve apostles, he called another seventy-two disciples and sent them two by two for the mission (cf. Lk 10.1 to 16). Indeed, if the Church "is missionary by nature" (Conc. Ecumenical Council. Vat. II, Decree. AG 2), the Christian vocation necessarily born into a mission experience. So, listen and follow the voice of Christ the Good Shepherd, letting attract and drive him and devoting one's life to him, means accepting that the Holy Spirit lead us into this missionary dynamism, inspire in us the desire and determination to deliver joyful our life and spend it for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
Deliver's life in this missionary attitude is only possible if we are able to come out of ourselves. So in this 52 World Day of Prayer for Vocations, I want to reflect precisely on that particular "exodus" which is the vocation or better yet, our response to the vocation that God gives us. When we hear the word "exodus", comes to mind immediately the beginning of the wonderful story of God's love with the people of their children, a story that goes through the dramatic days of slavery in Egypt, the call of Moses, release and the road to the promised land. The book of Exodus, the second book of the Bible, which tells this story, is a parable of the whole history of salvation, and also the fundamental dynamics of the Christian faith. In fact, moving from the slavery of old to new life in Christ man is the redemptive work that takes place in us through faith (Eph 4,22-24). This step is a real and true "exodus" is the way of the Christian soul and of the whole Church, the decisive guidance of existence to the Father.
At the root of every Christian vocation is this fundamental movement of the experience of faith: believing mean giving oneself, leave the comfort and rigidity of the self centering our lives in Jesus Christ; leave, like Abraham, the land itself getting underway with confidence, knowing that God will show the way to the new land. This "exit" should not be understood as a contempt of life, the proper way to feel things, of humanity itself; on the contrary, who is on the road following Christ is life in abundance, getting completely available to God and his kingdom. Jesus says, "Whoever leaves me home or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, will receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life" (Mt 19,29). The deep root of all this is love. Indeed, the Christian vocation is above all a call of love that attracts and that means something beyond oneself, or tilting the person starts a "permanent way, as an out of the closed self towards its liberation in the gift of self, and precisely in this way, to the authentic self, even more, to the discovery of God "(Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter. Deus caritas est, 6).
The Exodus experience is a paradigm of Christian life, especially those who follow a vocation of special dedication to the service of the Gospel. It consists of a constantly renewed attitude of conversion and transformation, in an always on the go, on a pass from death to life, as celebrated in the liturgy: the paschal dynamism. Indeed, from the call of Abraham to Moses, from the pilgrimage of Israel through the wilderness to the conversion preached by the prophets, until Jesus missionary journey that culminates in his death and resurrection, vocation is always an action God makes us leave our baseline, frees us from all forms of slavery, takes us out of the routine and indifference and projects us into the joy of communion with God and with others. Answer the call of God, therefore, is to let him make us leave our false stability to begin the journey toward Jesus Christ, beginning and end of our life and our happiness.
This dynamic of the Exodus is not just a personal call, but the missionary and evangelizing action of the whole Church. The Church is truly faithful to his Master to the extent that it is a Church "output" not concerned about herself, for their structures and their conquests, but rather able to go, to get moving, to find the children of God in their real situation and com-passion his wounds. God leaves himself in a Trinitarian dynamics of love, hear the misery of his people and intervenes to save him (cf. Ex 3,7). This way of being and acting is also called the Church: the Church evangelizes comes to meet man, announces the liberating word of the Gospel, heal with God's grace wounds of soul and body, succor the poor and needy.
Dear brothers and sisters, this liberating exodus toward Christ and the brothers is also the way for full understanding of man and the human and social growth in history. Listen and hear the call of the Lord is not a private or intimate question that may be confused with the emotion of the moment; It is a concrete, real and total commitment, which affects all our lives and puts the service of building the Kingdom of God on earth. Therefore, the Christian vocation, based in the contemplation of the Father's heart, while leading to joint efforts for the release of the brothers, especially the poorest. The disciple of Jesus has opened its limitless horizon heart, and his intimacy with the Lord is never an escape from life and the world, but, on the contrary, "essentially configured as missionary communion" (Exhort. Ap. Evangelii Gaudium, 23).
This dynamic of exodus, towards God and man, full of life with joy and meaning. I would especially like to tell the younger, also for its age and the vision that unfolds before your eyes, know how to be available and generous. Sometimes the unknowns and concerns about the future and uncertainties affecting daily life threaten to paralyze their enthusiasm, to curb their dreams, to the point of thinking that is not worth committing and that the God of faith Christian limits their freedom. Instead, dear young people, do not be afraid to leave yourselves and get in the way. The Gospel is the Word which liberates, transforms and makes our life more beautiful. How beautiful it is to be surprised by the call of God, accept His Word, channeling the steps of your life in the footsteps of Jesus in worship to the divine mystery and generous to others delivery. Your life will be richer and happier every day.
The Virgin Mary, model of every vocation, was not afraid to tell her "fiat" to the Lord's call. She accompanies us and guides us. With the generous boldness of faith Mary sang the joy out of herself and trust God with their life projects. To her we turn to be fully available to the plan God has for each of us to grow in us the desire to leave and go, willingly, to meet with others (cf. Lk 1:39). May the Virgin Mother protect us and intercede for us all.
Vatican, March 29, 2015
Palm Sunday
Francisco