The knowledge and realization of how deeply we are loved by God elicits a response of love that simultaneously draws us closer to God and, at the same time, impels us to share his love with others.

 

Embracing a relationship with God means following in his footsteps, wherever he may call. Just as Jesus invited St. Peter and St. Andrew to become his disciples, he invites us to do the same: "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19).
 

Being a disciple of Jesus naturally includes sharing the Gospel with others and inviting them into a deeper relationship with God. As Christians, our identity and our mission are two sides of the same coin; like the apostles, we are called to be missionary disciples. 

Read more.

February 4th, 2024, 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Do we choose the doom and darkness, or the light and happiness Jesus offers us? We do not have to look too far in the scriptures to learn about an example of these questions. We hear directly from Job chapter seven his pains of drudgery, sorrow, misery, sleepless nights, restlessness, hopelessness, and unhappiness (Job 7:1-4, 6-7). Job’s reflections help us learn more about darkness and light, the sorrow and joy possible in our lives. Father Mike Schmidt in many commentaries of “Bible in a Year” even describes our lives from scripture as “messy”.  Job learns though as illustrated in Psalm 147 that the Lord heals the brokenhearted. Even when we believe all is lost, there is God. When we are in our darkest hour, there is God.

Last week we learned a little about St. Theresa of Avila and her path toward God and her interior castles. Her vivid discussion about her own transformation referred to as the “dark night of the soul” was so difficult it felt like she was dying. Have we been there? Been in a place that was scary, hopeless, and lonely? St. Theresa and our savior Jesus have been there too. That is great consolation for us that we are human and following the same challenges and ups and downs of this world. Why is this so important for us to remember? It is because we are not alone! We have the saints, our Blessed Mother Mary, and Jesus to help us in our deepest struggles and challenges of life.  

The Gospel of Mark (1:29-39) gives us another example of Gods healing power by removing the affliction and fever of Simon’s mother-in-law. Not only did Jesus heal the illness, but that word spread, and many were bought to be healed by Jesus. These people had lost all hope, many were close to death, many were hoping for their lifelong illnesses to be cured, or simply have a good night sleep free from worries of an illness. Everyone was looking for Jesus and his healing and saving powers. If we, or a family member, are struggling with a severe illness what is a course of action we can take? I encourage the very first step is to pray and ask for Jesus’ guidance in giving us strength to embrace the battle and healing. We can pray that the doctors and nurses are given guidance on cures and ways to help us from the strength of God. That our families will be given the strength to help us on our journey. And most importantly to trust in the Divine Mercy of God. 

My dear brothers and sisters, our life journeys can be complicated, where we feel hopeless like Job, where darkness and unhappiness seem to be our guides. If we allow one glimpse of light to enter the darkness we may feel in our hearts, perhaps, just maybe, we will be given that extra strength from Jesus if we simply trust in Him.

 

I pray for all of us to stay happy and healthy in 2024 and beyond, as we move closer and closer to Gods eternal joy, eternal happiness, and peace. 

In Christ,

 Deacon Patrick