My Dear Parishioners,

As baptized Christians we are called to please the Lord in everything we think, say, and do. If we do this, we are assured of joy in this life and in the next. Too often, we forget this. We think we’ll be happy by   following our own desires and seeking our own pleasures. Experience should tell us that this just doesn’t work. So let’s suppose we are coming to the end. It’s the time of fulfillment as we have heard in our readings today. How would we have wanted to live our lives? Let’s go a step further: Why don’t we live for the Lord because of FAITH and not FEAR?  Realization of the end might be the catalyst for  conversion, but it should not be the cause. Let us change our attitude because it is right, and not because of fright.

Today’s gospel story tells us that Jesus began his public ministry after John’s arrest. And what was his message? “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Fulfillment here means the decisive intervention of God. It means the end-perhaps not the end of the world, but the end of an aimless, useless life. It means that God takes possession of our lives, and that we seek to serve him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The expression “reform your lives” is the Greek word metanoiete. It means to turn it around. If you have been going away from God, now is the time to turn toward him. If your mind and heart have been indulged in vanity, put an end to it! Turn to the Lord. He will lavish his forgiveness and his grace and his love upon you. And you will experience the good news! 

The final part of the Gospel tells how Jesus called the first disciples. They were probably good fisherman, but not saints nor theologians nor the sort of men on which you would build a world wide religion. Yet the Lord took these men of little talent and showed them the power of his grace. He changed them. And he can do the same to each of us too.

Today, he calls YOU! This is the time of fulfillment. It must mean a “turning around”. Live this day and every day as if it is to be your last day on earth. Reform your life and believe truly in the Gospel message. The reign of God is at hand for you!

God Bless, Msgr. Maresca