His
Holiness Pope Francis, before praying the Regina Caeli with the crowd
gathered in Saint Peter’s Square on 21 April 2013, reflected on the image of
Jesus as the Good Shepherd:
“Jesus
wants to establish a relationship with his friends that reflects the one he has
with the Father: a relationship of mutual belonging in complete confidence, in
intimate communion.” To express this it is necessary to use the image of the
sheep who recognize the voice of the shepherd and follow him. “The mystery of
the voice is suggestive. Already at our mother's breast we learn to recognize
her voice, and that of our father. By someone's tone of voice we can perceive
love or contempt, affection or coldness. Jesus' voice is unique! If we learn to
distinguish it, He guides us on the path of life, a path that even overcomes
the abyss of death.”
However,
referring to his sheep, Jesus also says: “If I feel attracted to Jesus, if his
voice warms my heart, it is thanks to God the Father who has put this desire
for love, for truth, for life, for beauty within me. And Jesus is all this
completely.”
Ask
Jesus what He wants of you and be courageous! … Behind and before each vocation
to the priesthood or the consecrated life there is always someone's strong and
intense prayer: a grandmother, a grandfather, a mother, a father, a community.
This is why Jesus said 'ask the master of the harvest—that is, God the
Father—to send out labourers for his harvest'. Vocations are born in prayer and
from prayer. Only in prayer can they persevere and bear fruit…. Let us call
upon the intercession of Mary, who is the Woman of the 'Yes'. She said 'Yes'
her entire life. She learned to recognize Jesus' voice from when she carried
him in her womb. May Mary, our Mother, help us to always know better Jesus'
voice and to follow it, to walk in the path of life.”
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