The Pastor's Column


Notes From Deacon Rod


5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Who, Me?
Some of us can relate to our readings this Sunday. When someone calls or invites us to do something for God or His Church – answering a vocation, volunteering our time, talent, or treasure, or leading a group activity or project, we tend to say no right away. We all come up with reasons why we can’t do it. We all can think of someone else who can do it. And even if, after an agonizing moment of inspiration, we say yes to the calling, at the back of our minds there’s this voice that keeps saying: “Am I the right person for this? Am I up to the challenge? Am I worthy and qualified to do this? In other words, we ask: Who, me?”

The simple response from God about our question “Who, me?” may be: “Yes, you, why not?” The mystery of God’s grace is that He qualifies anyone He chooses to do His work. This means every vocation or calling comes with the corresponding grace. Just like in temptation, trials and challenges, the Lord will never give us more than we can handle. He knows our limits and capabilities. But on our own we can’t do it. We need the Holy Spirit.

Every day the Holy Spirit inspires us to do something for Him. But we don’t get this favor based on our goodness or piety, because we have all fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). He won’t do this based on who’s the saint or sinner among us. Both sinners and saints-and that’s who we are-have the same chance and privilege to be called to task by God. The universal call to service and holiness is for everyone.

If perfection is the sole criterion for ministry, Jesus would not have chosen the 12 Apostles because they were all flawed individuals. This is true with our saints. No saint is perfect except the Blessed Mother, who is full of grace and born without original sin. People became saints not because they were perfect, but because they were set apart for God’s purpose. Saints are individuals who, through testing of character and humble obedience, are made holy by the grace of God.

Mother Teresa reminds us that we’re called to be faithful, not successful. The sooner we realize this in any ministry or work we do, the less pressure on our part to be super achievers and perfectionists. This is the most liberating feeling in the world because, while we may be doing our best for the glory of God, in the end, everything is truly in God’s hands! With this attitude, success and failure will have no power over us. They can’t lift us up nor weigh us down. There’ll be no occasion for us to have an inflated pride or bruised ego. Truly, we’ll be like little children who, according to Jesus, are first in the Kingdom of God. Like children, we’ll be easy to please and forgive – the perfect recipe for how to really get along with one another and to have peace. But sadly, the problem is, as the song goes, we sometimes act more like children than children. When we do that, we adults become childish, not childlike, in our squabbles, petty quarrels and attitude.

In today’s readings, Isaiah, Simon Peter, and Saint Paul wrestled with their sense of unworthiness before finally embracing their mission from the Lord. Isaiah (“unclean lips”), Simon Peter (“a sinful man”), and Paul (“not fit to be called an apostle”) teach us that our past sins can’t define who we are. We can learn from the past, but they can’t define our future. It’s what we do with the present opportunities to serve the Lord in whatever way He tells us that matter. So, the next time you discern that God is calling you to serve Him and you ask, “Who, me?” I hope you’ll answer back: “Yes, why not?
Parish New Banner
As you may have noticed on our parish bulletin cover, our parish slogan has changed from “See God in Everyone” to “Journey with Us into the Light of Christ.” We update our slogan every two years to align our vision with the changing times and needs.

“See God in Everyone” helps us recognize that we are all created in the image and likeness of God. This insight encourages us to treat one another with the respect we all deserve as children of God. More, seeing God in everyone is the key to building a faith-filled community that is Godly, holy, harmonious, and life-giving. “Seeing God in Everyone” is seeing ourselves as part of God’s family.

“Journey with Us into the Light of Christ” takes us into what Christian faith is all about. Faith is a journey that has turns, twists, stops, and starts. Yet through it all, as a Body of Christ, we don’t journey alone. The word of God tells us: “No one lives and dies for oneself” (Romans 14:7). We are called to support and encourage one another in our joys and sorrows, in our struggles and pain. We are responsible for bringing everyone closer to the Light of Christ. The closer we get to that Light, the more we live in the Light of His Grace, away from the darkness of sin and division.

Let that Light shine in our lives. Sharing joyfully the Light of Christ with the people we meet on our journey may be the key to finding Jesus during and at the end of our journey of faith.
Prayer for Our Time
We live in uncertain times. In our parish, school, communities, nation, and countries throughout the world, many things could weigh us down. Here’s an extended version of the Serenity Prayer that I hope you’ll find helpful in finding inner peace amidst the uncertainties of life.

Lord Jesus, grant me the serenity to accept the things that cannot be changed, the courage and generous spirit to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardships as a testing of character and as a pathway to peace. Taking, as You did Lord Jesus, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Meeting people where they are, not where they should be. Trusting that in the end, You, Lord, will work all things out according to Your purpose. So that not just I, but others, may be reasonably happy in this life. And supremely happy forever with You in the next life in Heaven. Amen

Take care and keep up the good work!

Deacon Rod

Recognize God in Your Oridinary Moments - By Colleen Jurkiewicz Dorman
Mini Reflection: What does it mean to lower your net? It means to listen to God, even when you don’t understand Him. It means to keep trying the hard thing that you know is the right thing. It means to keep loving the person who is making life hard on you.

The Catch
I love today’s Gospel passage, and not just because I love a good fish fry. I love it because I am Peter. Over and over again, I am Peter, standing here exhausted because I relied on my own abilities, and it got me nowhere. I’m ready to call it quits. I’m ready to say it’s too hard. And here comes Jesus, asking me to lower my net. To keep trying. And I try to talk sense into him. “It’s not going to work, God,” I insist. “I’ve been trying.” “You’ve been trying,” Jesus agrees. “But you haven’t asked for my help yet.”

What does it mean to lower your net? It sounds so simple and so easy, but it takes a great deal of humility and trust. I think I’m the expert on my own life, the captain of my own ship. Peter probably thought so, too — he was the fisherman, after all. Why would a fisherman listen to a carpenter on matters of fishing?

Lowering your net means giving God control and letting yourself be changed by what He chooses to show you. It means to listen to God’s instructions, even when you don’t understand them, even when you find them frustrating. It means to keep trying the hard thing that you know is the right thing, even when it hasn’t borne much fruit. It means to keep loving the person who is making life hard on you, even when all you want to do is give into feelings of bitterness and distrust.

If we would only lower our nets, the catch would astound us.
©LPi

The Holy Father's Intentions for the Month of February

For vocations to the priesthood and religious life
Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel a call to serve Christ's mission in the priesthood and religious life.

Honor Our Military

Please take time to give thanks for those who have served and are serving in our military and to pray for the safety of those who may currently be in harm’s way. In a special way, we thank and pray for these parishioners and relatives of parishioners.
Dear God,
We pray in gratitude for all of those who have defended peace, virtue, and justice with honor. We pray especially for those who have suffered in mind and body from the ravages of war. May Your peace reign in our hearts and in our world. Amen.

He Who Sacrificed His Life
†JOHN A. STONIS, Grandson of John & Dorthy Stonis
†CHRISTOPHER ZIMNY

Those Still Serving
JAY MARTIN, Nephew of Becky and Tom Brennan
JESSICA CAMERON, Niece of the Cameron Family
JOHN PODCZASKI, Grandson of Genevieve Podczaski
STEVEN TUMBARELLO, Son of Sylvia & Vince Tumbarello
CRAIG BEHRENDT, Grand-nephew of Sister Mary Helen
DANIEL BELZER, Nephew of Dave & Bev Belzer
MICHAEL KELLY, Nephew of Kevin and Kathy Kelly
MATTHEW NEUBAUER, Nephew of Dan & Judy Neubauer
EUGENE WALL, Nephew of Suzanne Lessner
NAILL SWIDER, Grand-nephew of Alice Swider
BRYAN DUFF, Son of Julie Duff
RYAN BLOCHBERGER, Nephew of Mae Grady
TIMOTHY DWORKIN, Grandson of Barbara Bouska
ALEXIS GONZALES, Great-niece of Eden & Lyle Gonzales-Nemzin
JACK MAHON, JR., Son of Jack, Sr. & Eileen Mahon
MICHAEL FOLEY
JOHN FOLEY
PETER MULLER
DANIEL FRAYNA
JOSEPH GULLO
SANG HOON LEE
ANTHONY PALMERO
MORRIS COREY MCMAHON, Son of Chris & Julie McMahon
RYAN FONTILLAS
MICHAEL T. HEHN, Grandson of John & Dorthy Stonis

To add or remove someone, please send the person’s name and relationship (optional) to bulletin@stcatherinelaboure.com

Please Pray for Ukraine

For our sisters and brothers involved in or affected by the war and devastation in Ukraine-- the deceased, the injured, the frightened, the displaced, the fighters, the protesters, the leaders. May God give them solace, healing, comfort, and hearts and minds directed toward peace.
Donations can be made here:

Knights of Columbus: https://www.kofc.org/secure/en/donate/ukraine.html

Caritas: https://www.caritas.org/

Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philidelphia: https://ukrarcheparchy.us

"May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the madness of war" - Pope Francis


Neighbors of other Faiths
The Golden Rule

Excerpted from charterforcompassion.org/the-golden-rule-in-seven-major-religions
We may speak of great differences in religious beliefs and forms of worship around the world. Called by an endless number of names, all, however, recognize and worship a Supreme Being. And all religions, somewhere in their sacred literature, expound the fundamental philosophy of the Golden Rule.

Buddhism: Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.
~ Buddha, Undanavarga 5:18

Christianity: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that all men should do to you, do ye even so to them.
~ Matthew 7:12

Confucianism: What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
~ Confucius, Analects 15:23

Hinduism: Good people proceed while considering what is best for others is best for themselves.
~ Hitopadesa

Islamism: No one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
~ Mohammed, Traditions

Judaism: And thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
~ Leviticus 19:18

Zoroastrianism: Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.
~ Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29