“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” This passage from today’s Gospel is a fitting one to consider as we enter the fourth week of our Diocesan Year of Prayer for Vocations. It is important for us to join with our local Church in praying for vocations to the Priesthood, as we recognize the need for more men to serve the church in this way. As the number of active Priests dwindles, it becomes harder and harder for Parishes to sustain the same level of service that Parishioners are used to. No one likes facing the prospect of eliminating Masses, Confessions, or other Sacramental celebrations, but this is often necessary in places where there just aren’t enough Priests to sustain the workload. We are blessed in our Family of Parishes to have the service of many retired Priests, but as they get older, even this is not sustainable.
And yet, at the same time, today’s Gospel challenges us to think differently about how we approach our faith, and how we approach our service to others. While it is true that we need ministerial priests to give us the Sacraments, it is also important for us to remember that all of us, through our Baptism, are anointed Priest, Prophet, and King. Through that Baptismal anointing, all of us are called to share in the Church’s mission to form disciples of Jesus Christ. This is why Bishop Fabbro has reminded us tirelessly over the past several years that we are “a mission-oriented Church that forms disciples of Jesus Christ.”
Just as Jesus gives the disciples authority over unclean spirits and the ability to cure disease, he also gives us unique gifts and talents that can be used to serve the Church’s mission. All of us, through our baptism, are called to go out and share the Good News of the Gospel with the world. As we pray for Vocations to the ministerial Priesthood during this year of prayer, I would encourage you also to pray that the Lord will help you see how He is calling you to use your gifts and talents to serve the mission of the Church.
On this Father’s Day weekend, I also want to take this opportunity to wish a Happy Father’s Day to all fathers and father figures in our Family of Parishes. Through the intercession of St. Joseph, the patron saint of fathers, we pray that the love of our own fathers and father figures will help us to more fully recognize the love that God the Father has for all of us.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Steven Huber, CSB