“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.” Matthew 9: 37-38
The prayers of many people made it possible for me to answer the call to ordained ministry; your sacrifices have, in different ways, made it possible for me to make the sacrifices necessary to complete my formation and study; your prayers have kept me steady when moments of doubt and discouragement arose; your prayers have made it possible for me to be a priest for the Lord and his Church in this place.
With this in mind, I invite all the faithful to pray to the Lord to give courage to young people to respond generously to the call to priesthood and religious life. This is a responsibility for all the faithful as well. In this present age, many of us are afraid of commitment. It is even harder when it comes to vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
We can be reminded that the family is the domestic church therefore it plays an important part in forming and encouraging our young people to follow vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
As Pope St John Paull II wrote in his message on the XXXI world day of prayer for vocations: ‘the family can be considered a “garden” or a “first seminary” in which the seeds of vocation, which God sows generously, are able to blossom and grow to full maturity’.
I appeal to young men and women, do not be afraid to choose the vocation of priesthood or religious life. I do not say it is an easy journey, but I guarantee it is a journey full of peace and joy.
Fr Trung Nguyen