The Gospel this Sunday presents us with the call of the first disciples of Jesus. For Simon Peter, the humble fisherman from Galilee, this was the first day of the rest of his life. From this day on, life became meaningful, purposeful, and fulfilling. On this day there was a revolution in his life. It's the revolution we are all thirsting for. This revolution had two ingredients: First, Christ had to knock Simon Peter out of his comfort zone, and second, Peter had to allow Jesus to enter into his life. Jesus does His part masterfully. "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." It is Peter’s business to be a fisherman and he knows that you don't catch fish in broad daylight, especially after a night without any catch at all. But Jesus just looks right at him, inviting him, challenging him: He is pushing Peter out of his comfort zone, into the deep water of the lake, and into the deep spiritual water of faith. Peter’s act of obedience is a powerful sign of his trust and faith in the Lord. It is so powerful and dramatic, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Inviting Jesus into our lives can be a very scary and demanding experience. But an act of faith and trust that will revolutionize our lives revealing the greatest desires and satisfying the deepest longings of our hearts. The week of February 7th – 14th invites us in a special way to participate in the observance of National Marriage Week with the celebration of World Marriage Day next Sunday, February 13th with the theme “Called to the Joy of Love.” This special weekis a collaborative campaign to strengthen individual marriages. Marriage works. It makes people happier, live longer, and build more economic security. Children with married parents perform better in school. Deep down, everyone wishes they could have a rewarding lifelong commitment with their spouse. But in the midst of challenges, we forget how marriage can benefit our personal lives. We are losing our determination and the skills to keep marriages healthy and strong. On Friday, February 11th - the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Church will celebrate the 30thWorld Day of the Sick. Introduced by Pope John Paul II as a way for believers to offer prayers for those suffering from illnesses, the day coincides with the commemoration of Our Lady of Lourdes and is an important opportunity for those who serve in the Catholic Health Ministry to reflect on caring for those who are sick as well as those who provide care to them. The theme chosen by Pope Francis in his Message for 2022 is “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Lk 6:36). Standing beside those who suffer on a path of charity, “makes us first turn our gaze towards God, who is “rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4); he always watches over his children with a father’s love, even when they turn away from him. Mercy is God’s name par excellence; mercy, understood not as an occasional sentimental feeling but as an ever-present and active force, expresses God’s very nature. It combines strength and tenderness. For this reason, we can say with wonder and gratitude that God’s mercy embraces both fatherhood and motherhood (cf. Is 49:15). God cares for us with the strength of a father and the tenderness of a mother; he unceasingly desires to give us new life in the Holy Spirit”. -Pope Francis To join in the celebration with the Universal Church, our morning Mass on Friday will be celebrated with the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. If you are elderly, because of the aging process, or have a serious illness (physical or mental), or if you will undergo surgery soon, please come and receive the healing grace of Christ through the sacraments. This week the Lord challenges us to leave the comfort zones of our lives and invite Him to “mess” with our lives. “Comfort is a beautiful servant, but an ugly master. It is a cunning and wicked tyrant. Little by little, it syphons off your soul strength, and you find yourself incapable of facing your daily responsibilities. With your soul strength sapped, you become morally, ethically and spiritually paralyzed. This paralysis prevents you from standing up for what is good, right, true and just. At this point you are living for comfort. All you want now is comfort, but no comfort is enough to satisfy you” (Matthew Kelly, Life is Messy, p. 62). Have a blessed week everybody! With prayers, Fr. Andy