‘Come Follow Me’ invites parishioners to fast, pray novena

Father Josh Johnson has issued an invitation to join him and the Office of Vocations in a rosary novena dedicated to vocations to the priesthood and religious life in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. 

The novena is aptly called “Come Follow Me.”

“Every day we want to invite family, individuals or a group community to pick one day during Lent to fast, a fast of bread and water or one meal and two small meals,” said Father Johnson, who is the vocations director for the diocese. “You fast for that intention will be for vocations for the diocese.”

He said while fasting, the rest of the church parish where that individual is a member will be invited to recite the rosary for parishioners participating in the communal penance.

“The prayers of the community will sustain the disciples who are fasting for the people in our land to hear God’s call,” he said.

Father Johnson said he believes God is “inviting us to transform us in the Diocese of Baton Rouge to discern about vocations, to think about religious life, so people of this land can hear his invitation and respond to his path of particular holiness.”

“If we, like Moses, hear God’s voice in prayer, we in turn can encourage the men in our land to discern a state of life vocation to the priesthood and religious life,” he added. “Our prayer and fasting can also help them to hear God’s call as well as through their time spent in prayer with God and fellowship with other members in our community.”

Father Johnson said when the Blessed Mother has appeared in the past she has always shared the same message of praying the rosary and fasting. He noted her invitation is not necessarily new, especially that of fasting.

He said that fasting dates to the Book of Genesis as well as Moses, who fasted for 40 days and 40 nights.
“After he came out of his season his face was shining, his life was transformed and so was the community transformed because of his intentional, consistent prayer and fasting,” he said.

Father Johnson also recalled how Jesus prayed in the desert for 40 days and after he had finished was when he called the first priests. 

“I believe this Lenten season something all of us can do is pray and fast,” he said. “Not all of us can get out and go to Mass because of the pandemic. Many people are staying home.

“One thing we can do wherever we are is listen to Our Lady’s invitation to pray the rosary.”

Father Johnson has also created an E-book which includes a daily reflection on the life and witness of a priest or consecrated religious saint who can inspire those striving for holiness in their walk toward eternity. Along with the stories of the saints, the E-book also highlights current and historic pictures of the deacons, priests and consecrated religious brothers and sisters in the diocese.

The E-book features the life of one person for each day of Lent. 

“We long for saints to be formed in the diocese,” Father Johnson said. “Their stories hopefully inspire us not to settle for mediocrity but strive for holiness in this land.”

Below are links to Father Johnson’s “Come Follow Me” video and the link to his E-book: 

https://youtu.be/1EIzB1YqkrE; https://www.diobr.org/documents/2021/1/Come
FollowMe-compressed-3.pdf