If a Religious Vocation is ‘too much’, encourage others to be good parents or teachers or work bosses
Fourth Sunday of Easter – May 11, 2025
The 4th Sun of Easter is usually a day of prayer for vocations to religious life & priesthood. That’s OK but we need, perhaps more urgently, good and strong shepherds in our families (mums and dads), in our schools (teachers), and in our workplaces (fair bosses).
In our first reading, we heard God speaking to each one of us, as well as the prophet:
“I have made you a light for the nations, so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth.” This should encourage us to know that God is walking with us in our desire to be shepherds.
So today, while we pray that someone else will step up and go into bat for the Church community, can we challenge ourselves to be a shepherd? Or, if you are already a mum or dad, teacher or boss at work, how can you be a better shepherd? How can I be a better Religious?
One of the key aspects of being a shepherd is to be ‘attractive’ to those whom we serve or lead. Unless we are attractive, why would anyone pay attention to our instructions? So, what behaviours make someone ‘attractive’ as a shepherd? Here are some key dimensions:
Frequently present, a good communicator who shares some of the ‘dirty’ jobs; honest, generous, consistent, doesn’t play favourites and admits when they don’t know; who listens when we try to speak, advises according to their level of competence, is a courageous protector, and prevents bad things coming near; is interested in our needs and tries to empower us, etc.
How do you rate yourself on the above? We do not have to be perfect in all of them, but it is good to challenge ourselves to reflect on those behaviours that are essential to my current leadership role, even if I am only an older brother or sister.
Some of you might be thinking, I don’t want to be a leader. Fair enough, but to develop a strong sense of purpose in our lives, we must devote some of our time to serving others. As soon as we serve others, we are partly being a shepherd.
Happiness is linked closely to our service to others. As we grow older, our service will more naturally move towards leadership, or shepherd, roles for increasing numbers of people. We may try to avoid it but, if everyone says ‘no’ to leadership roles, we will have fewer businesses (meaning less employment), poorer Government decisions (meaning future chaos and economic hardship), less doctors (less medical care), less police (more violence and insecurity), etc.
Our future happiness is linked to the leaders we have today, and our willingness to be one of those leaders. Although each of us must become shepherds to some extent, we all need shepherds to guide our own behaviour. As we leave childhood behind, who have we chosen? Can we take time to reflect on what makes them attractive or relevant to us as their sheep?
In addition, we must be willing to support those leaders who are concerned for the long term good of society, and not voting for those who promise good things for me only.
Jesus, as our good shepherd, ticks all the boxes of the behaviours listed above. He worked until he was 30 years of age: learning skills, learning about family and community life; learning about the challenge of faith, religion meeting with reality on the ground. After His period of leadership began, the good shepherd showed compassion, generosity & courage in many ways.
Do we take time to educate ourselves on various topics so that we can dialogue, not only with good intentions, but with solid information and correct knowledge. There are so many difficult conversations needed today: questions about sexuality, life issues of euthanasia & abortion, fair taxation, religious exemptions for employment and schools, celibacy for religious/ priests, etc.
But, let’s face it, being a shepherd is no easy task! We look around the world and see the way National Leaders are treated; we look at family life and see the way parents are criticised. Even religious leaders in their own communities often face criticism and rejection.
A true religious vocation is all about empowering and teaching others. If good young people are struggling with the issue of celibacy, encourage them to become teachers as a first step. After some time of teaching they may be more open to become priests, Sisters or Brothers.
Finally for today, let us challenge ourselves about four things as we move forward this week:
1) do I pray for good shepherds for our community and our Church?
2) do I take sufficient time to educate myself about important, difficult subjects for life?
3) do I do enough to show leadership in various parts of my life? and
4) do I support leaders who are trying to do good for our community?
What we do, and who we support, today, determines the happiness we can expect tomorrow.
By Gerard Conlan, OMI
