Called by name...

God, the Lord, has called each of us. He has called each one by name. God is so great that he has time for each one of us, he knows me, he knows each of us by name, personally.

It is a personal call for each of us. I think that we must meditate on this mystery often: God, the Lord, called me, calls me, knows me, awaits my response as he awaited Mary's response, as he awaited the response of the Apostles.

God calls me: This fact should make us attentive to God’s voice, attentive to his words, to his call for me, to realise this part of salvation history for which he has called me.

• Benedict XVI, March 4, 2011