CTK – Vocations – Prayer Resources – W/C 12/5/2025
Hello everyone, and welcome back to CTKPray. The prayer theme for this week is Vocation.
Vocation is our personal call from God—a unique path He invites each of us to walk. It’s not always clear at first, and it often requires prayer, patience, and discernment. But at its core, vocation is a reminder that our lives have purpose. Each of us is called to serve God and others in a special, meaningful way.
During the Easter season, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus—a moment that not only renews our faith but also strengthens our sense of mission. The early disciples were uncertain and afraid after Jesus’ death, unsure of what came next. But encountering the risen Christ renewed their hope and gave them clarity. They understood their calling—to go forth and share the Good News—and their lives were forever changed.
In the same way, our vocation may not always be obvious, but God is always guiding us. He works through our doubts, our gifts, and even our struggles to lead us toward the purpose He has set for us. Embracing our vocation doesn’t mean having all the answers; it means trusting the One who does.
Let us pray this week for openness to God’s call. May we take the time to listen, trust in His plan for our lives, and follow where He leads. In doing so, we become true witnesses of His love, living out our unique vocation with courage and joy.
Season of Eastertide
4th Sunday of Easter – Good Shepherd Sunday
This week, during Eastertide, we’re invited to think about vocation—God’s call for each of us to live with purpose and make a difference in the world.
Eastertide is a season of joy and renewed hope. It reminds us that Jesus is risen, alive, and walking with us. Just as He once called His disciples to follow Him and share His love with the world, Jesus also calls each of us to a unique vocation—a special way of serving God and others.
Your vocation isn’t only about your future job; it’s also about how you live right now. Being a good friend, standing up for what’s right, helping those in need, or using your gifts to bring joy and peace—these are all ways we respond to God’s call. Discovering your vocation is a journey – God reveals His plan little by little, walking with us every step of the way.
Our new Pope Leo XIV show us how powerful a vocation can be. Born Robert Prevost in Chicago, he heard God’s call to religious life and service as a missionary in Peru, where he worked closely with the poor and marginalized. By listening to God’s voice, he found his purpose. His vocation—to bring peace, unity, and compassion to the world—reminds us that saying “yes” to God can lead us to places we never imagined.
This Easter season, take a moment to ask yourself: What am I good at? What brings me joy? How can I help others? These questions can help you begin to hear God’s voice in your own life.
Let’s pray this week for open hearts—to trust God’s plan, to discover our purpose, and to follow the path He has lovingly prepared for each of us.
Below you will find the weekly readings from Sunday’s mass and scriptures taken from the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament on the theme of Vocation.
If you would like to explore your own scriptures, the link below will take you to open bible which allows you to explore scripture on any theme.
https://www.openbible.info/topics/joy
First reading Acts 13: 14, 43-52
From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down…
When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honoured the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Gospel Reading John 10:27-30
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
Hebrew Bible Genesis 12: 1-3
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonours you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
New Testament Romans 12: 4-8
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Visio Divina, meaning “Divine Seeing,” is a form of prayer in the Catholic Church that involves contemplating religious images or art to encounter God. It is similar to Lectio Divina (sacred reading), but instead of focusing on scripture, the participant meditates on visual representations, such as icons, paintings, or stained glass. The process usually involves several steps: gazing at the image, meditating on its meaning, praying in response to what is seen, and contemplating how the image speaks to one’s life. This practice deepens spiritual insight and fosters a connection with the divine through sacred imagery.
Here are some song suggestions that you could use in your Celebration of the word…
Think about the unique purpose God may be calling you to. Spend some time in prayer, asking God to help you listen, trust, and follow His call for your life.
As we continue our Easter journey, let’s take a moment to reflect on the gift of vocation. Just as prayer opens our hearts to God, discovering our vocation helps us understand how we are meant to serve Him and others. It’s through answering this call—step by step, even when we’re unsure—that we live out the message of the Risen Christ.
God calls each of us to something meaningful, and He gives us the courage and grace to follow. Whether it’s showing kindness, using our talents, or standing up for others, every small “yes” to God shapes our path and brings His love into the world.
Let us turn to God with open hearts, ready to listen, trust, and respond to the call He places in each of our lives.
Lord, help me to listen for your call in my life. Teach me to trust your plan, even when I don’t see the full picture. Guide me as I discover the path you have created for me, and give me the courage to follow it with faith and joy. May the way I live inspire others to seek and follow their own calling.
Through Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord.
Amen.
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