Speak up

I was taking our dog, Bella for a walk the other day. Walks with Bella are slow and meditative because she is part husky and loves to sniff each blade of grass and dive into high grass thinking she has captured a mouse.  So I have time to think.  I had what I thought for me was an amazing revelation. 

I mentioned in a previous post about Pope Francis’ concern for young people.  In a recent talk he said among the world’s greatest problems is the lack of work and hence a dim future for our young people.  That thought broke my heart but the comment is true.  My parents and their generation could generally look to the future.  The men would find jobs that often lasted them 20 and 30 years and they could retire with a good pension.  Our young college graduates today can’t find work; they have worked so hard to prepare for a career.  As a result they are not marrying, not having children.  They are having a hard time making commitments; hence they are entering into intimate relationships that mimic marriage, looking for love, especially the girls.  What a life!   

However, it occurred to me that although they are confronting “no jobs available’ signs there are “help wanted” signs that are going unanswered.  God has many jobs that need to be filled.  He tells us in Scripture that the harvest is great but the workers are few!  As I walked I wondered how many of the young people looking for work have been called by the Lord to the priesthood or consecrated life?  Our culture is so noisy, our values so materialistic that it is impossible for our young people to hear God’s voice! 

But it might be partly our fault.  Do we ourselves value a religious vocation?  Do we project that attitude to others?   Do we ever ask the young people we know if they have ever considered giving their lives to God?  If they can’t hear God’s voice perhaps they need to hear ours.