THE LORD’S OWN INVITATION
“The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.” -Mk 1:15
There are many parallels between the lives of Jonah, John the Baptist and Jesus. Each announced the Lord’s own message to their contemporaries carrying the same basic invitation to faith and conversion. Each met resistance but also won a hearing and provoked strong reactions. Each proclaimed what they had been given to speak. Each spent time around water, each was caught in a storm of some sort, and each was ultimately vindicated. Jesus emerges as the fulfillment of Jonah and John the Baptist, by becoming himself the ‘hook and the bait’ which draws a set of fishermen to himself and invites them to become fishers of men and preachers.
Preaching is not unlike fishing: great patience is required; one wonders the difference that it makes; a preacher needs his ‘sea legs’ and thick skin; many fish simply ‘get away’ or swim right through the nets and yet the preacher still goes about his work, because he has the Lord’s own message to announce. The Lord is the one who draws souls!
We recently gathered to ponder the little volume written by Peter Kreeft which was our parish Christmas gift this year: Jesus Shock. That book packs a punch and invites us to realize that Jesus is alive. If you haven’t yet cracked yours open, go for it. I share with you several invitations from the Lord to draw closer to Him:
Each January 22nd, American believers unite for a Day of Prayer and Penance for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. There is a 10:30 am Prayer Vigil for Life at the Cathedral of St. Paul and March for Life Rally at noon at the Minnesota Capitol this Monday. I will be attending with some parishioners. Send me an e-mail if you plan to attend so we can meet up.
I would like to invite you to join for this year’s Candlemas Celebration—the 40th day after Christmas—which commemorates the Christ Child’s presentation in the Temple. This is our eighth year hosting the solemn blessing of candles, procession and sung Mass with the University of St. Thomas alumni association, The Roccasecca Project. This year the Mass will not take place at St. Clement but rather at beautiful St. Mark’s Church in St. Paul beginning at 6:30 pm on Friday, February 2nd followed by a social reception and program. It will be worth the drive!
Lent, which begins on February 14th with Ash Wednesday, is just a few weeks away. Prepare to live this time intentionally, not only by fasting, abstinence and giving up but also by taking on a new spiritual focus! In addition to Fish Fry’s, Lent also emphasizes the Stations of the Cross and devotions focused on Christ’s Passion including the Polish Gorzkie żale or Lamentations. We will be focusing on small groups but will also offer a three-part series on Dante’s Divine Comedy. Our annual Forty Hours Devotion with Eucharistic Adoration will take place from March 1-3.
Two final save-the-dates: First, all married and engaged couples are invited on Thursday evening, February 22nd to our Date Night with the Blessed Sacrament. It is a wonderful Lenten occasion to draw close to one another and to the Lord as we seek His blessing in our relationships. Secondly, on Tuesday, March 19th, our Pastoral Council is hosting a Lenten enrichment and social opportunity on the Solemnity of St. Joseph at St. Hedwig Church. Stay tuned on more details.
Let’s respond to the Lord’s invitation, -- Fr. Howe