Please help me prepare for this week’s St. Michael’s Night Out Quiz. The theme is “getting to know you.” Text me (706-267-1073) your name and something unique about yourself. It could be as wild as “I own a Super Bowl Ring”, or “As a naval aviator I flew off aircraft carriers”, or perhaps as simple as “I grew up on Long Island.” I’ll try to use all the ones I receive. If you don’t text, there are index cards and a basket in the meeting room. Monday noon is the deadline.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “No American institution does more for immigrants than your Christian communities. Now you are facing this stream of Latin immigration which affects many of your dioceses. Not only as the Bishop of Rome, but also as a pastor from the South, I feel the need to thank and encourage you.” —Pope Francis, Prayer with the U.S. Bishops, September 2015
For nearly a half-century, National Migration Week has been observed in the United States to highlight the situation of immigrants and refugees and unite in prayer to accompany them. The theme for this year’s observance (January 5-11) is “Promoting a Church and a World for All,” and reflects the Church as a welcoming place for all God’s children.
Each of our families have a migration story, some recent and others in the distant past. Regardless of where we are and where we came from, we remain part of the human family and are called to live in solidarity with one another. I am so happy that our parish concluded National Migration Week by hosting the local Filipino Catholic Community’s celebration of the Santo Nino (Holy Child) Devotion. The deep faith of immigrants from the Philippines has been a great blessing to the Church in America.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a blog post from my dear friend and mentor, Fr. Charlie Hughes: "And a voice came from Heaven, saying, "This is my Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Today's Feast has some of the elements of the experience of inaugurating a President, the swearing in of a judge, the presentation of a diploma at a college commencement, or the presentation of a driver's license to a person who has just passed the required exam. Each of the persons in these incidences is recognized as officially qualified for some particular task or office. So, it is with Jesus in today's Feast.
Jesus was ready to remain in the Temple at the age of thirteen, but this was not the Father's will for Him. So, He waited and willingly went back to Nazareth to live and learn what the Father had prepared for Him in the home of Mary and Joseph. But now His time had come. And the Father expresses His approval and great love for Jesus, granting His official credentials for being the Savior of all. This is my Beloved Son. Listen to Him.
According to the Father's plan and desire, the life and ministry of Jesus is to continue on through history in the life and ministry of Christian believers. It is not just that Jesus has gone on before us to set an example for us to follow. Rather He lives in us to accomplish the father's will. Through faith and Baptism, we are officially sent into the world to help make it holy. The Father invites each of us to be the object of the same declaration we celebrate in the life of Jesus today on the Feast of His baptism. THIS IS MY BELOVED! In our Baptism and in our continuing to lead a Christian life we become the answer to the prayer of Jesus that the Father would love us as He loved Jesus. Here we see the importance and the application of John 17: 20- 23. " I pray for those who will believe in me, that all may be one in us...I have given them the glory you gave me that they may be one, as we are one - I living in them, you living in me - that their unity may be complete. So shall the world know that you sent me, and that you loved them as you loved me." Our calling and identity as Baptized believers is to live in union with Jesus as beloved by Our Father.
On the way home: Do you recognize yourself as a beloved daughter or son of God? When have you experienced God's favor and love? How do you share God’s love? In what ways are you continuing the ministry of Jesus?