Nationnal Vocation Week

As the Church sets aside this week to promote awareness to the need for good leaders, priests and consecrated religious, and actually to do some inviting, the selection from Paul's letter to the Philippians as the first reading in today's liturgy fits perfectly (cf. Phil 2:1-4)  And in light of the scandals and abuses that have come to light, presents an ideal and needed picture of the kind of Church we should be:  a community of love, compassion, mercy, joy, unity, unselfish, humble, not self-promoting, but always seeking to promote the good of others.  Indeed, this is what our Bishops, priests and religious should be, not to mention each one of us. We are urged to pray for such leaders, as well as to  recruit, invite, and encourage.  This is not a "let Joe do it" time, but one for positive action.  God works in his time and in mysterious ways, but he also works through us.  Let's not be shy about broaching the topic of priestly or religious vocation to someone who has the qualities Paul singles out.
Bro. Rene