By Father Mark McCormick
Director of Vocations

The theme for this year’s vocation poster comes from the episcopal motto of Bishop Scott Bullock, Surgite Eamus, which translates as “Rise, let us be on our way” (Mt 26:46). These two Latin words, Surgite Eamus, according to Bishop Bullock, explain in the words of Jesus a call that, “spurs us to a life of fullness found through the Paschal Mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection.”

This fullness of life is why Jesus came in the first place, as we read in Jn 10:10, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” We are meant to live a life of abundance, a life of more, in the grace of Jesus. However, this is easier said than done. It seems that we are always fighting against our tendency to do our own will rather than doing the will of God the Father.

Think about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane in the Gospel of Lk 22:42-46. “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done. And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.’”

God the Father sees the humanity of Jesus, who is struggling with whether to follow his own will or the will of his Father. Jesus, in immense agony and pain, is encouraged by the Father who sends an angel to strengthen his Son. Now strengthened, Jesus is able to rise and move forward to Jerusalem with the heart and mission of the Father.

Spurred on by the Father’s love for him and supported by the angel’s presence, Jesus does what he sees the Father doing, as we hear in Jn 5:19-20, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.”

Just as the Father spurred on Jesus, so Jesus spurred on his disciples to rise from their sorrow and to move with him to Jerusalem to face his suffering, passion, death and resurrection. In the end, the disciples themselves, face their own passion with humility, love and obedience to do the will of Christ in their lives.

At the beginning of September, Pope Leo XIV canonized St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Carlo Acutis, who both proclaimed to the world in their own ways Surgite Eamus, “Rise, let us be on our way.”

At their Canonization Mass on Sunday, September 7, Pope Leo XIV said: “Both Pier Giorgio and Carlo cultivated their love for God and for their brothers and sisters through simple acts available to everyone: daily Mass, prayer, and especially Eucharistic Adoration. Carlo used to say, ‘In front of the sun, you get a tan. In front of the Eucharist, you become a saint!’ And again, ‘Sadness is looking at yourself; happiness is looking at God. Conversion is nothing more than shifting your gaze from below to above; a simple movement of the eyes is enough.’”

This past summer, I heard our Shepherd, Bishop Bullock, several times shout out Surgite Eamus! — to rise and move forward in Christ, to be on our way. Whether that was at the Encounter Conference in Toledo, Quo Vadis Day in Piedmont, or on the Sodalitas hike up Black Elk Peak, hearing the words Surgite Eamus became a source of encouragement. They were words that reminded us there is always more to receive in Christ Jesus.

This month, in all our encounters, let us proclaim to one another Surgite Eamus! Just as God the Father did for Jesus, just as Jesus did for his disciples, and just as the saints and Bishop Bullock do for us.

Surgite eamus!