"What are you looking for?" This question, which is in the Gospel, was addressed by Christ to the apostles who seemed to be attracted to him and followed him when he was pointed out to them by John the Baptist.
The Scriptures, however, are never only a past event, but speak to us now. In fact, if we are really listening, they cut to our heart. Has not the church said to us that when the Scriptures are read in the church, Jesus Christ is speaking to his people.
This Scripture has been read to you today. This question of Christ is put to all our people; to parents and grandparents, to priests and to me, as your bishop. We know it is put to young people as well; but let us put that aside for the moment.
It is a question that comes from Jesus Christ, God made Man: God in human flesh made present to the church. It relates to the vocation of everyone and to the lack of sufficient vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life in our diocese.
To parents
"What are you looking for?" What are you looking for for your children and your grandchildren? To put it more accurately, what are they looking for as a result of life in your home? Has success and achievement in a sense approved by the world become more significant for them than the pursuit of a relationship with Christ?
Have you made it possible, and even likely in your home, that Jesus Christ could touch their hearts and help them live in a certain way? Have you made it possible for them to hear the voice of God if he should want one of them to be a priest or a religious? Is your great goal in life to make your home a place where Jesus Christ is present, where there is prayer, where his voice can be heard? Or has the goal of financial and economic advancement for your children becomes so prominent that the voice asking for sacrifice, unselfishness and the joy of a relationship with God cannot be heard?
Christ respects your freedom. He does not force himself upon you. Consequently, the "yes" given to making your home a place where Jesus Christ is present is all the more beautiful because it is free.
Young people
Jesus puts this question to you also. "What are you looking for?" Soon, I will begin my 50th year as a priest. This has been a life of great meaning and joyfulness despite my own failures and unworthiness, of which I am always aware.
Christ is putting this question to you, but he is not forcing the answer. Still, he wants an answer. What are you looking for in life? Maybe your answer at this point to him is, "I am not sure." Perhaps you can say, "I am looking for you. I am looking for a meaning in my life." I hope you can say, "I am looking for my vocation. What is it, Lord? What do you want me to do?" Some might want to build a good Catholic family. "I want to be close to you. I want to resist the things that are pressed upon me, such as drugs and alcohol and false ideas of human love that are demeaning.
Every young person (reading this newspaper) has a call from Christ to live in a certain way and be close to him. Have you heard that call? Have you begun to follow it? Will you follow it when you leave the surroundings of your home? Will you follow it all your life?
Some are being called to offer themselves out of love to be a priest or religious. I give thanks to God that I heard that call in the home of my parents, in my parish church and in my heart, and followed it. You can only hear that call if you pray and talk to him. He is waiting.
The present situation
We have 84 parishes in this diocese; 15 of them are under the pastoral care of exemplary priests who have come to us from across the world. There are 14 men studying to be priests for this diocese. Several more have made application to enter the seminary next year. This means that, although we are approaching our 150th anniversary, we have not been able to produce enough priests for this diocese. I believe that young people still want to live a life of goodness and beauty, a life of unselfish love.
I call upon parents to talk about this with their children and young people to bring it up to their parents. I call upon our teachers in our schools to speak of vocations to the priesthood and religious life and encourage them. Where would we be in our diocese except for the priests and religious who have done the work of evangelization here for a century and a half?
Prayer
In one year, we will begin the celebration of our 150th anniversary. I call upon everyone to pray for vocations. Beginning on the first Sunday of Lent, I will have a prayer for vocations sent to every parish and hope that it will be said at every Mass. Copies will be provided so you can pray it individually. This is a prayer the Lord will hear.
We shall be working on a pastoral plan for vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life. Central to that plan and, more important than other worthy initiatives, will be a church at prayer, the local church on its knees begging Christ to send forth laborers into the vineyard.
A blessed new year to you all.
