Yes, it is very distressing to see that only antireligious values are preached in schools; that laws violating God's commandments are voted in certain, or better said, numerous countries; that in the media, movies, arts and shows, perversion, violence, duplicity and the seven deadly sins be exalted; that children may so early lose their innocence under the pretext of "freedom".

It is right that God made us the indefeasible gift of freedom, and nobody will be able to retrieve it from us. Now, what use will we make of this freedom? Adam and Eve were sinless and they were free. They have chosen to know evil… so as to know all things, be aware of everything and be like God…

The Most Blessed Virgin Mary was sinless and she was free. She chose to remain pure and faithful to God and her Immaculate Conception remains undefiled forever.

We, who were born with the stain of original sin, and about whom the devil continually roams, seeking someone to devour, we also have, every minute, the freedom of choosing our way.

A few years ago, a "liberated" gentleman, proud of his person, asked something to a nun regarding her vow of chastity:
"You will not make me believe that in our present time, one can live without pleasure, without desire"!
And she replied to him: "Sir, my model is the Virgin Mary".
"Nonsense! I cannot believe you! One just cannot live without desire"
"Sir, each individual places his desires at his own level"!
Then he left, beaten and annoyed.

Yes, let us raise our desires higher, let us consider how much does Jesus love us, and all what he did for us. Let us turn to the crucifix with a new look, as if for the first time, and let us look at our Jesus, nailed to the wood, casting on each one of us a look filled with love and mercy, not a reproach… only love…
Let us consider all the benefits that we received from God since the beginning of our existence.

At our birth, He was there… At our baptism, He deified our soul… He came and dwelt into her with the entire Trinity… And we did not even know it… this did not prevent him from loving us, and acting within us.
In our first falls, He was there… in the others also. He patiently mended all what we had crushed.

We drove him out… ten times… twenty times… or a hundred times… He came back; He settled at our bedside… He cured us… He turned us fairer.
In the storm He was there, an invisible companion on the boat…
When you happened to carry the cross He was there, on the heavier side, least his beloved child would be crushed under its weight.
You forgot him for long years; you have lived as if He did not exist… He is waiting for you and looking at you with love.

You betrayed him after you had given him your heart; you took it back, thinking that you could find something better in a creature, and quite soon you realized that nothing and nobody could ever replace, or be compared with Him. And He is looking at you and waiting for you with love, with the same look he had on the Cross, as the father of the prodigal son, as the Good Shepherd, hugging fast on his heart the sheep he has found again…

Let your heart take its flight towards him and tell him:
"O Jesus, your hands are nailed down: I shall be your hands to nurse the sick, feed the poor and orphans, bury the dead, build your churches, schools, dispensaries, orphanages and hospitals, in which you will have the first place in the poor and the little, who indeed, belong to you. I shall be your hands, to hold the Holy Host and offer you up in sacrifice on the altars, so as to implore Mercy from your Father, and save thousands of souls.

O Jesus, your feet are nailed down: I shall be your feet, to go on the roads where You will send me and announce the Good News to all, tell them how much You love them, and carry you in triumph to the four corners of the earth.

O Jesus, your eyes are filled with tears, dust from the road, sweat and tears: I shall be your eyes to look lovingly at all those I will meet on the way, the ill-loved, prisoners, the neglected, the embittered, tepid, indifferent, so they may know that You are there and You love them immensely.

O Jesus, your mouth was shut in the throes of agony, after having drank the gall and vinegar, after you had drank the chalice to the dregs, after you had given us, as our Mother, the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, your own Mother: I shall be your mouth, to tell everyone that She is really our Mother, tell them how much She loves us, and how much You love us; I shall be your smile, to restore courage and trust to the unfortunate and those who despair. I shall be your mouth to sing the divine praises, make You be loved, and make the Most Blessed Virgin Mary be loved."

And you, priestly vocations who are reading these few lines and delay to answer, for whatever reason, through laziness or cowardice, because you are too well in comfort and your own will, because you are trying to convince yourself that one can serve God even when living in the world, one can "help in a different way".

Well! But you are called! Will you have pity on these faithful, who walk miles and miles several times a month to enquire when will the next baptisms take place; these children, these nuns who wonder if Bishop Jean Marie will be able to send a Priest for Christmas or for Holy Week, or if, as it already happened, they will have to content themselves with spiritual Communion, because we do not have enough priests…

We beg you for it: come out of your shell now and answer "Present"! Go with courage and meet this Jesus who loves you so much, who is so lovingly looking at you and tells you:
"Come follow me; from you, whom I love, I shall make a fisher of men".