The priestly vocation in a Eucharistic perspective (April 28^th 2004)

In creating the Twelve, Christ indicated His will to provide the Church with a priestly organisation. By climbing the mountain for this institution, he intended to show the fundamental importance of the Twelve for the Church’s existence and development. With the words "He created the twelve", the Gospels allow us to understand that Christ’s creative omnipotence is committed to this institution. By creating the Twelve and giving each of them new names, the mark of new personalities, Christ created God’s new people, the Church.

Vocations come from a personal choice made by Christ: "It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you" (John 15,16). It is a call made by the Redeemer’s sovereign authority, a call to a totally gratuitous and definite love that requires a complete gift of the person, such a large and profound gift that a new person is born: the entire human being becomes the Lord’s property. The mark of the belonging is recognised as an indelible "characteristic".

In following Christ’s intention, priests are necessary for the Church’s development. More specifically they are necessary for the multiplication of Christ’s sacramental offering in the world: Christian communities need the Eucharist to be inspired by Christ’s life and to allow this life to produce all its fruits. The current drama experienced by many communities and parishes who lack priests and can no longer gather in participation in the Holy Mass, emphasises this need for priestly vocations. It must be a stimulus for prayer to obtain a larger number of priests from the divine generosity.