Isaiah lays out our mandate: Open the eyes of the blind; free the prisoner; bring light to the darkness (Is 42:6-7). Christians faced with this mandate have a choice to make: how to live this call of God to follow Jesus. For some, the answer is to share their lives as sisters or brothers, priests or deacons. National Vocation Awareness Week is a time to focus attention on the odyssey of grace and service to which we are called.

Young people often say that one of the major reasons they do not consider priesthood or religious life in their future is that no one has ever invited them to do so. Do you know young people who have a healthy sense of self, who spend time serving and caring for others, attend Mass regularly and have genuine leadership potential? Pray for them and actively invite them to consider serving the Church as a priest, sister, brother or deacon.