On the Lookout for Love
Jesus calls his first followers
Announcements for January 16, 2021:
Sunday looks like another tough call. As it stands we'll keep the 11:00am Mass in front of the church, but if the winds kick up we'll be headed inside. I'll send out a text to confirm - let me know if you'd like to receive these notifications.
While we're on the subject of Inside Masses: Now that we're hopefully in the COVID-19 homestretch, let's remain vigilant about our protocols to mitigate the viral spread. Please stay at home if you have symptoms, and wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth while we're on site. Thank you!
Did you know that OLMC has a men's group? We gather two Saturday mornings a month, and we're eager to have new members. Send me a note if you'd like to join.
All of our announcements are now online. Keep tabs on that page for all up-to-date information.
Please be in touch with me if you need anything at all, or if you'd like to share any questions or concerns.
Dear Saints,
On Monday of this past week we entered into what the English-speaking Church calls Ordinary Time. The Latin tempus per annum is, perhaps, better translated as Time through the Year, but many people don’t like this designation either.
I don’t want to get too caught up in that discussion, but I’d like to make a few points about it that might interest you - let's pick up the subject after the break below.
We might be leaning into Ordinary Time, but our Gospel passage this weekend sets the stage for extraordinary days ahead.
There's a lot going on in the first chapter of John's Gospel -- God is on the move. When Jesus calls his first disciples, which we hear about this weekend, we're made to realize that God's plan and purposes are being advanced.
As the action of the scene unfolds, two main points should capture our attention: 1. The soon-to-be disciples are looking for Jesus; and 2. Jesus has been on the lookout for them.
This pattern holds for us as well. We are all in need of a savior -- we're all in search of Jesus. The task to find him would overwhelm us were it not for the fact that Jesus is in pursuit of us, and he is a relentless lover.
Just like the first disciples, my friends, our life's story - our meaning and purpose, our joy and our peace - will be found in trusting and following the call of Christ.
Getting back to our thread on Ordinary Time:
Time in the liturgical year used to reference major feasts of the Church, chiefly Time after Pentecost or Septuagesima (the time leading up to Lent). I think it makes sense to keep the major feasts in mind throughout the year, and the centrality of Easter/Pentecost in the calendar makes good sense to me.
Besides being a bad translation, there really is no such thing as Ordinary Time in our Christian experience (I tried to explore this in my homily on Monday). What I mean by that is that God breaks in to every moment of human history, most significantly in the prayer of his sons and daughters (that’s us).
We have very little of this time this year, Ash Wednesday being February 17. That’s right, the yearly call for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving is coming quickly, so don't let Tempus per Annum lull you into a false sense of security.
We can't let these days be ordinary, my dear friends. I love you and I look forward to seeing you very soon.
Christ's Peace,
Father Daniel
δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ
Preparing for Mass?
Check out this weekend's readings:
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
San Giovanni che indica il Cristo a Sant'Andrea
Ottavio vannini, 17th Century