From the Pastor’s Desk: February 3, 2019

    The opening verse in today’s Gospel should sound very familiar. Jesus once again reminds us about the significance of His message: "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." This scripture passage introduces Jesus’ public ministry in the Gospel of Luke. In our response to what is revealed to us through the Word, we are challenged to put the Word into practice that the good works may abound in us.
 
     The first reading this Sunday provides us with some of the most beautiful words in all of Sacred Scripture. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you.” God spoke these words to the prophet Jeremiah more than two thousand years, so we would hear those same words spoken to us today. That is what the Bible is: God’s inspired and living word, meant to enlighten, encourage, and strengthen each one of us in every situation of our lives and to penetrate our hearts today.
 
     Today the Word of God invites us to engage in a simple, yet powerful exercise, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, (insert your first name here), before you were born I dedicated you.”
 
      None of us are here just by chance, as the Darwinists want us to believe. None of us are an unwanted mistake, as the pro-abortionists would like us to believe, especially in the latest effort of the Senate of the State of New York that produced the so-called “Reproductive Health Act”. This document signed on January 22, 2019, by Governor Cuomo, removes abortion clauses from the penal code and “creates a right to the procedure under the public health law” with exceptions so broad (i.e., economic, social, or emotional distress) that anyone will be able to procure an abortion up to minutes before giving birth. In other words, the lives of unborn children who have viability outside the womb can now be terminated by doctors and non-doctors.  None of us are a toy or experimental product manufactured by scientists, as the cloning-advocates and artificial reproduction companies seem to think.
 
     Each one of us is a beloved, desired child of the living, eternal, all-wise, all-powerful God of the universe. We have received our existence directly from Him; if from all eternity He had not yearned for our friendship and envisioned a lasting purpose for each of us, we would not be here. That is the dignity of human life – every human life, mine and yours included.
 
     Today in the Church we celebrate the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life. Today we acknowledge these women and men, religious sisters, brothers, priests and all who have professed their life to God through the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. In a very special way we pray for those consecrated who serve the faithful of our diocese. In particular we offer prayers to our Sisters Danuta, Iwona, Barbara, and Immaculee from the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Family who have served our parish community for the last five years. They are called to remind us of our responsibility, both individually and as a community, to keep that light burning, to be flickers of hope and of peace – no matter the darkness, nor its extent.
 
     On Friday, February 8^th, we will host Night To Shine sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. This special event is an unforgettable prom night experience centered on God’s love, for people with special needs. On Friday from 6:00 to 9:00 pm,  together with  75 people with special needs, we will participate in the Night to Shine at St. Luke Parish in Middleburg, as part of a worldwide movement that celebrates 75,000 honored guests simultaneously on one night in all 50 states and 11 countries on 6 continents!  I am grateful to everyone who expressed their support to assist us with the success of this event.
 
     Let us pray that we will remain open and transformed by the Word of God and work together to protect and respect the gift of human life.
 
Have a blessed week!
 
With prayers,
Fr. Andy