Dear Friends in Christ,
Many years ago, I think before you could take photos with your phone, I was in Rome and was visiting the catacombs one afternoon. It was a beautiful, warm sunny day and, in typical Italian fashion, the catacombs were closed for lunch! I decided I would take a walk and pray my Rosary. What happened next was for me one of those magical type moments that I can never adequately convey to others.
As I walked along, I heard the sound of someone singing. To my right I saw a young shepherd walking along with a flock of sheep through a pasture. Even now, the whole thing feels as though it was a dream. Growing up in Quincy, I didn’t have many encounters with shepherds, so the whole thing was surprising to me. And, as a young priest visiting Rome and praying my Rosary near the catacombs, it felt like a scene from a movie.
The Fourth Sunday of Easter, which we celebrate today, is often referred to as “Good Shepherd Sunday.” Each year on this day the Gospel at Mass speaks to us about the Good Shepherd. Every year, on this day, my mind goes back to that day many years ago in Rome. In that moment, I felt the closeness of the Good Shepherd.
In a far more real way, however, Christ the Good Shepherd makes himself known here and now through the priesthood. The Catholic priest prolongs the presence of Christ, the Good Shepherd, in the midst of his flock. Christ chooses men to shepherd his flock here and now. He chooses priests to feed his flock with the Word and with His Body and Blood. He chooses priests to watch over the flock and to guard it in the Truth. He chooses priests to walk with the flock, leading the flock to green pastures and restful waters.
Those of us who are priests always feel unworthy of the gift of the priesthood. That we should be given such a privilege is incomprehensible to us. I think the longer one is a priest, the more he becomes awed by the gift and privilege. The longer one is a priest, the more one feels deeply how far he has to go to be more like the Good Shepherd. We should pray for our priests. Pray that we become every day more like the Good Shepherd.
It has been a great joy in my life to encourage priestly vocations. I want to continue that work here at St. Patrick Parish. The people of today need to encounter Christ, the Good Shepherd. They need priests. They need priests to baptize them, to absolve them, to anoint them, to bless them, to commend them to eternal life. They need to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd through the preaching of the Gospel. They need priests.
If you sense that the Lord is calling you to the priesthood, do not be afraid to accept this gift from the Lord. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He does not run away when the wolf attacks. If the Lord is calling you to be a priest, he is calling you to be a shepherd after his own heart. And, the Lord will give you every grace you need for that. If he is calling you to be a priest, he is calling you to lay down your life for the sheep. What a beautiful gift he is offering you!
There are undoubtedly men in this parish whom the Lord is calling to be priests. I am praying for you, the sheep are depending upon you, and the Good Shepherd is waiting for you.
Your Brother in Christ,
Fr. David Barnes