On the same weekend as we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, Cardinal Vincent spoke about hearing the Lord's call in each of our lives.
On Saturday 25 April, at a Confirmation Mass at St Mary and St Michael's Church in Commercial Road in East London, the Cardinal explained that in the sacrament of Confirmation we are called to serve the Lord. Addressing the nearly 50 young people being confirmed, he said:
'Sometimes we may wonder 'Why did God make me?'. Cardinal Newman gave such a good answer. He said 'God made me to do him some definite service.' So each of us is on the lookout to find out what that service might be. And it may well be a surprise. I never, ever thought that I would be here as a Cardinal. But God has a task for each of us, a vocation, and when we find and follow it then our lives become truly content, deeply happy. Today, through this Sacrament of Confirmation, Jesus promises to be with us everyday and guide us to our right path in life, our true vocation. Let us stay with him always.'
On Sunday 26 April, he celebrated Mass at St Mary Magdalen Church in Willesden Green on the 75th anniversary of the first Mass in the parish. In his homily, Cardinal Vincent compared the conversation between Mary and the Risen Lord to the dialogue we too can have with the Lord as we respond to His vocation for our lives.
'Mary Magdalene is such a great patron saint for a parish. She had that wonderful experience of hearing her name being whispered to her by Jesus. 'Mary!', he said.How her heart must have sung with joy because that took place at the darkest moment of her life.
'When we come to our parish church we too can hear Jesus whisper our name.He is here, waiting for us to come. He will say to each one of us: 'Vincent!', 'Eileen!', 'Kevin!' And we have simply to say 'Master!' and our lives are right again.
'In this dialogue, this conversation of the heart, we will find the true meaning of our lives. With him we find out what we are to do with our lives. We find our vocation. Maybe, as for Fr Kevin and for me, he has a vocation for us to be priests.
'He is calling some to be religious sisters, or faithful mothers and fathers, or dedicated friends, teachers, doctors, workers of every sort. But when we know that we are doing what he wants, then we also know that we are doing it for him. Then, like St Mary Magdalene, our hearts are full of joy. Then we can truly say: 'Master!'
