Pope Francis on Tuesday urged Christians to “welcome the shared vocation” during his message for the 61st World Day of Prayer for Vocations on April 21, themed “Called to sow seeds of hope and to build peace,” according to Vatican News.
“Our life finds fulfilment when we discover who we are, what our gifts are, where we can make them bear fruit, and what path we can follow in order to become signs and instruments of love, generous acceptance, beauty, and peace, wherever we find ourselves,” he said.
The Holy Father recognized the consecrated life, the priesthood, marriage, and the single person for whom there should be gratitude.
He appealed for prayer for vocations to the priesthood and religious life for laborers in the Lord’s harvest.
He highlighted the need for the youth to freely make room for God’s call but where one finds happiness,.
“Let Jesus draw you to Himself.. Bring Him your important questions by reading the Gospels; let Him challenge you by His presence, which always provokes in us a healthy crisis,” he said.
Pope Francis invited Christians to be “pilgrims of hope” as the Church journeys toward the 2025 Jubilee. The synodal character of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, “given the variety of charisms, calls everyone to listen to one another and to journey together in order to acknowledge them and to discern where the Spirit is leading for the benefit of all.”
Christian pilgrimage means keeping our eyes, minds, and hearts fixed on our goal—which is Christ—and setting out every day anew, he said.
“Our pilgrimage on this earth is far from a pointless journey or aimless wandering.. by responding to God’s call, we try to take every step needed to advance towards a new world where people can live in peace, justice, and love.”
To become “men and women of hope” is the goal of every Christian vocation in the midst of crises and “the baneful specter of a third world war fought piecemeal.”
Pope Francis invited Christians to “rise up” and awaken from indifference by embracing one’s vocation and letting Christ guide our steps.
“Let us be passionate about life.. and commit ourselves to caring lovingly for those around us, in every place where we live.” - (MTV)
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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