Welcome to this week’s Living Word!
Our Word of the Week is Vocation.
As we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Eastertide, traditionally known as Good Shepherd Sunday and the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, this week you are invited to listen more closely for the Shepherd’s voice. Whether you are discerning an important call within your life regarding your future or you are simply seeking to follow God’s will in your daily tasks, be assured that you never walk alone. Let us open our hearts to the abundant life Christ promises and which we strive towards achieving as a school community at SSPP, since the scripture we will begin the week with is where the words of our mission statement stem from: “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
Section 1: The Voice of the Shepherd
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.
R./ Glory to you O Lord. +
The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out…
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
The Gospel of the Lord
R./ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
Vocation begins with listening and hearing. In the Gospel at Mass on Sunday, Jesus described himself as the door and the shepherd. A vocation is not merely a career choice; it is a response to a specific, intimate voice. To hear the Shepherd, we must create a space of silence amidst the busyness and noise of our day-to-day lives.
Discussion Questions:
- The church considers there to be four vocational callings: 1) The Priesthood 2) Religious Life 3) Married life 4) Single life. Have you ever considered any of these a vocation that might be something that your own future holds?
- What other ‘vocational’ career paths can you think of?
- What do you the difference is between a job and a vocation?
Click below to “Add Comment” and capture some of what has been said in your form for others to see or add them to your form scrapbook if you have one!
Loving God, you call each of us by name before we are even born. We enter into your presence today with open ears and open hearts, asking for the grace to distinguish your voice from the many noises of the world around us. Help us to recognise the unique path you have set before each of us. Amen.
Section 2: God is Speaking
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
The Catholic view of vocation is deeply sacramental. We recognise that God uses visible signs, like the bread and wine of the Eucharist or the “I do” of marriage, to grant his invisible grace. However, the idea of vocations is not confined to the walls of the church or to the Catholic community alone.
You may have heard people speak about vocational careers before. These roles, for many, are not just a way to earn a living but a way to live out a calling. When a nurse tends to the sick, a teacher helps form a young mind or a tradesperson builds a home, they are participating in the Shepherd’s work of “restoring the soul” and “preparing a table.” In the darkest valleys of the secular world – in hospitals, courtrooms, or struggling businesses – God calls professionals to be his “rod and staff,” providing comfort and justice to others. Every honest work of labour is an offering to God.
This simple video makes us think about whether we are giving God the opportunity to be at work in our lives. You might already have a good idea about what direction your life is going in. Others might need more time and guidance.
After you’ve watched, take a couple of moments to think quietly about the following questions:
- Do you make time and space in your life for silence?
- Are you willing to listen to and look out for guidance, even from people and places you might not expect (or even want) it?
- Could you make time this week to open up your heart and mind and consider how God is at work in your life?
Prayer: Let us pause for a moment of silence.
Lord, sometimes the path you call us towards looks uncertain and difficult. We thank you that you do not just point the way, but you walk beside us. Help us to depend on and trust in you. Amen.
Section 3: Life to the full
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
In the scripture Jesus says he is the door; not a barrier to keep us in, but a threshold that leads us out to abundant life. This abundance isn’t necessarily about becoming rich or having an easy life; it refers to the fullness of a life (life to the full) lived with purpose. It refers to making the most of life and living a life which is good in the eyes of God. A true vocation brings life not just to ourselves, but to the whole community.
Our school mission is built on this very promise. When we say we want students and staff to “have life and have it to the full” we are making a vocational claim. We are saying that education is not just about passing exams, but about helping each person recognise their God-given gifts and talents and become the best version of themselves. To live abundantly is to use our talents to serve the common good, finding our joy in the building up not only ourselves but others too.
The Activity: The Mission Statement Review
In your scrapbook, decide on a way in which you can all have your say on our school mission statement:
“I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
- What does this mean to you?
- What do you like about it?
- In what ways do you think it links to our Word of the Week – vocation?
Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd, you continue to call your sheep by name, inviting them to follow you with generous and faithful hearts. We pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated religious life in our Diocese of Nottingham. Amen.
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