When it comes to the 59th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Pope Francis says that the faithful should put their best selves into this grand plan.
The Holy Father issued his yearly message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocation on May 5, "Called to Build the Human Family."
The World Day of Prayer for Vocation falls on Sunday, May 8, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday.
In the context of a synodal church, Pope Francis explains that "vocation" implies that a church should listen to God and the world.
In the first portion of his message, he advises the faithful to fight a worldview that distinguishes between priests and laypeople but holds that God's people, the laity, and pastors comprise the Christian mission.
"The Church as a whole is an evangelizing community," said Pope Francis.
According to the pope, every Christian must protect, unite, and work together. Before they encounter Christ and become Christians, each man and woman has a primary calling with the gift of life.
"Each of us is a creature willed and loved by God; each of us has a unique and special place in the mind of God,” he said.
"At every moment of our lives, we are called to nurture this divine spark that is present in the hearts of every man and woman," he added.
The Holy Father further emphasizes that the Christian vocation is to build a fraternal world, which he portrays as the tiles of a mosaic.
"Each is lovely in itself, but only when they are put together do they form a picture. Each of us shines like a star in the heart of God and the firmament of the universe," he explained.
In this light, the Holy Father discusses our common call to construct constellations that might lead and illuminate the path of humanity, beginning with our homes.
He believes that the Church's mystery celebrates diversity, a sign and instrument of everything humankind is called to be.
The Holy Spirit emphasizes that when we speak of "vocation," we are not only referring to choosing a way of life, committing one's life to a particular ministry, or being drawn to the charism of a religious family, movement, or church community.
Above all, the pope assures us that "vocation" does not only mean choosing a way of life or dedicating one's life to a specific ministry.
"It is about making God’s dream come true, the great vision of fraternity that Jesus cherished when he prayed to the Father, that they may all be one," he said.
He invites every Christian to join the Church's vocation to celebrate the Holy Spirit's harmonization of diverse gifts among men and women.
Pope Francis eventually calls on the faithful to journey and work together to witness the truth that God created humans to be part of one vast human family united in love.
"Everyone may find their proper place and give the very best of themselves in this great divine plan," he concluded. - Kasmir Nema
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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