Browsing Reflections

Fr. Jo's Reflection for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Yr C, June 26, 2022

Because the readings of this Sunday point to the calls of different individuals, I’ll like to reflect on the topic of vocation. Vocation comes from the Latin “voco” or “vocare,” meaning call or to call. We can be called to the married life, single life, religious life, priesthood, and so forth. My father clearly understood and referred to his teaching profession as a vocation. However, when we’re asked to pray for vocation, we often think of the priesthood, as if that’s the only vocation.

A few years ago, when I was chaplain of the University of Tulsa Newman Center, I was invited by the Diocesan Office of Vocation to discuss ‘vocation drive’ in our various campuses. At the meeting were six priests, with the vocations’ director, but no religious and no lay person who had been invited. When I drew attention to that and asked why there weren’t, at least, nuns, I was told, “Well, it’s all about recruiting men for the priesthood.” I agree that we need more men for the priesthood. Our diocese is still short of priests. Yet, we seem to have forgotten that for decades, if not centuries, all Catholic Schools were run by nuns. We used to have the St. Mary’s Catholic Hospital in McAlester run by the nuns; and we can’t forget our St. John’s School that has been closed for years. Who hears about Religious Brothers anymore? But they were the ones who for many years ran the Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa. We are witnessing a general amnesia of what Catholic institutions used to be. If parish life were not tied to the celebration of the sacraments, we would have already started having parish CEOs in place of parish priests.

Be that as it may, today’s reflection on vocation is not just centered on religious vocation but vocation to the married state also. Among all vocations to which a person could be called, the married vocation is currently the most endangered. The present state of the married vocation caused Pope Francis to assert recently that the ‘vast majority’ of sacramental marriages contracted today are invalid. While the pope was highlighting the crisis in marriage in the usual Francis’ way, you need not fear or wonder whether or not your marriage is valid. The sacraments remain valid and efficacious even amidst all dangers. Although we will continue to ask you to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, we know that most of the young will marry. And it’s important to emphasize that the married vocation is as important and, some will argue, even more demanding than the priesthood. With divorce rate at all time high and the government and courts enforcing a new definition of marriage, you should be encouraged to look upon sacramental marriage as a calling from God. Though we’re experiencing a new phenomenon where it’s almost harder today to walk out of a business contract or change your phone service from Verizon to AT&T than get a divorce, Christians should not despair but show the world that we can live the union of marriage as Christ ordained. When faithful marriages blossom, priestly and religious vocations would follow and flourish.

We need an apprenticeship in docility and liberty in order to be disciples. Today’s Gospel posits four attitudes that are inimical to the call. First, discipleship must be in the service of love and tolerance, not of violence and vengeance, even when hatred appears justified. Second, discipleship doesn’t promise a secure haven but a continuous process of transformation.  Third, disciples must not be distracted by the fritter of sideshows that present themselves as essentials to life and love. And fourth, discipleship is forward-looking, like the plough which does not work backwards. We must “learn to love the Lord,” if we’re to hear His voice. His love will free our hearts from fear, discouragement, selfishness and the desires of the world and of the flesh, which rob us of the peace and joy that come with following Jesus.

Fr. Chukwudi Jo Okonkwo

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