That Feeling of Expectancy
December 13, 2018
Live Advent well – Archbishop
December 13, 2018
When God calls us to vocation, He also prepares us and gives us what we need.
“We have to recognise the preparation that God makes when God gives us our vocation. He prepares us for the call he makes in our lives,” Archbishop Jason Gordon said as he addressed a group of Confirmation candidates and the rest of the congregation at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception to celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
He was the main celebrant and homilist at the Mass; Vicar General Fr Martin Sirju, and Fr Emmanuel Dafe, concelebrated. Deacon Harold Woodroffe proclaimed the Gospel, Luke 1:26–38.
Archbishop Gordon said, “The Feast we celebrate today reminds us that God chooses human beings to do extraordinary things and you are part of who God chooses.”
Speaking directly to the Confirmation candidates of St Theresa’s RC Church, Woodbrook, he asked if they believed they had a vocation. He advised that everyone has a vocation — to marriage, single life, priesthood, religious life, adding “every single one of us are called by God to do something that is extraordinary and that is how God builds His Kingdom”. Christian living invites vocation and allowing God to lead them into the depths He requires for them to live the call fully.
Archbishop Gordon said Mary is the new Eve, the new mother, after the disobedience of Adam and Eve led to the “fall”. Sin did not just impact the individual’s relationship with God, it also fractured the relationship with self, neighbour and creation.
Although born with original sin, through baptism there is a relationship with God and “we became children of God”. God called Mary to be mother of the Saviour and through her ‘yes’ salvation came into the world.
As God gave Mary the graces needed to live her vocation, Archbishop Gordon told the candidates, “for the sake of your vocation God has prepared you and given every grace that you need.”
The Archbishop instructed them to close their eyes and pray for God to show the call He gave from the time they were in their mother’s womb. “Ask Him to show you …ask Him for courage and grace to be like Mary and to say ‘yes’ to His call, His vocation in your heart.”
Fr Sirju led the congregation in the recitation of a prayer of consecration to the Immaculate Conception. He explained, “a consecration is a prayer that helps us to be faithful to Christ, so we may be obedient to the Father who brought Christ into the world.”
The First Reading, Genesis 3:9–15, 20 was done by Jesu Le Blanc, and the Second, Ephesians 1:3–6, 11–12 by La-Quita George. – LPG
