In addition lectio divina is also very useful as the privileged occasion for meeting God while listening to his Word. Practised in many religious communities, it can be appropriately proposed to all those who wish to harmonise their lives with God's plan. Listening to divine revelation, silent meditation, contemplative prayer and its translation into life experience constitute the soil in which an authentic vocational atmosphere can flower and develop. In this light, the relationship which binds sacred scripture to the Christian community becomes ever more highly valued. Listening to the Word opens the heart of individuals to the Word of God and contributes to the building up of the community, whose members in this way discover their vocation from within and educate themselves to a generous response of faith and love.
Every vocation is a personal and unique event, but also a community and ecclesial event.
No-one is called to walk alone. Every vocation is raised up by the Lord as a gift for the Christian community, which must be able to benefit from the vocation. Accordingly, a demanding discernment is necessary, which should be carried out by the one concerned together with representatives of the community who are accompanying him or her on the path of a vocation. My thoughts turn to you, venerable brothers in the episcopate, who, as pastors of the Church, are primarily responsible for the promotion of vocations. Place all your energies at the service of vocations.