From our Pastor’s Desk

Dear Family:

When the Lord started His ministry, He called and formed a core group: Peter and Andrew, James and John and others to become henceforth, “fishers of men” (Matt 4:12-23). These followers, who had been called as apostles, were to continue His work of salvation after he had ascended to heaven whether people would like them or not.

Jesus’ teachings are always extremely organic. He used images of His surrounding world and life, to explain to those who were physically present as He spoke and were listening to Him attentively. In today’s gospel reading, He uses the image of a fisherman to teach those he chose. Peter, Andrew, James and John understood their calling to be “fishers of men” because they were fishermen. A good fisherman possesses the very qualities that Jesus wanted them to display.

First, a fisherman has patience. He learns to wait patiently until the fish takes the bait. If he is restless and quick to move, he will never make a fisherman. The good fisher of men must have patience. It is but rarely in preaching or in teaching that we seek quick results. He must learn to wait.

Second, a fisherman has perseverance. A fisherman learns not to be discouraged but always to try again. A good fisher of men must not be discouraged when nothing seems to happen. He must be always ready to try again.

Third, a fisherman has courage. A fisherman is ready to risk and to face the fury of the sea and of the gale. A good fisher of men must be well aware that there is always a danger in telling man the truth. The man who tells the truth more often than not takes his reputation and his life in his hands.

Fourth, a fisherman has an eye for the right moment. The wise fisherman knows well that there are times when it is hopeless to fish. He knows when to cast and when not to cast the net. A good fisher of men choose his moment. There are times when men will welcome the truth. There are times when truth will move them and times when the truth will harden them in their opposition to the truth. The wise fisher of men knows that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent.

Fifth, a fisherman knows how to fit the bait to the fish. One fish will rise to one bait and another to a different one. A wise fisher of men know that the same approach will not win all men. He may even have to know and recognize his own limitations. He may have to discover that there are certain spheres in which he himself can work and others in which he cannot.

Lastly, the wise fisherman must keep himself out of sight. If he obtrudes his own presence, even his own shadow, the fish will very certainly not bite. A wise fisher of men will always seek to present men not with himself but with Jesus Christ. His aim is to fix man’s eyes, not on himself but on the figure beyond.

Nowadays, we hear criticisms of church leaders. Perhaps what the people should bear in mind is that being God’s minister does not by itself abolish the minister’s humanity. There are many elements of distraction tempting them: pride, ambition, greed and even sensuality which can blind a priest or a bishop as they blind other men. But the Lord who uses Peter as the building block of His church – Peter, who thrice denied Him, can use imperfect men too. Notwithstanding, spiritual leaders have the obligation by virtue of their high, divine calling, to constantly strive to overcome their human frailties. Undesirable qualities in a bishop or a priest can and do turn off people from religion.

As followers of Christ we all are called to be bearers of his light. Christ’s light has come into the world. It is up to us, his followers, to make sure that the light of his love and compassion shines in the darkness and gloom of the modern world. There should be no scarcity of ways in which we can do this. We all can let a little light into some dark situation involving other people if only we care enough. It is easy to sit around cursing the darkness, and heaven knows there is no shortage of it. But that is not good enough for a Christian. A Christian is called to let in some light, even a little.

But unless our own light is bright, we will be incapable of enlightening others. I am sure we are all conscious of our need to change. Each of us has areas of darkness in our lives. Darkness can stand for many things: fear, illness, pain, sin, error, loneliness, despair, oppression, and so on. It touches the lives of us all. Hence our need of the light of Christ.

Though the light comes as a friend, to an extent it is also an intruder. It disturbs us. It shows us what is wrong and demands that we do something about it. If our darkness is really deep we may need to seek outside help in order to face it.

The person of Christ Jesus is acting in and through us. The church’s success will largely depend on what we make her as church leaders and lay members. The question is are we doing our part or do we even know our part in the church? The Psalm today invites us to see Him as our light and our salvation. Therefore, we all must be part of the important mission of God’s Church.

Together, we must do good, we must seek peace and we must spread love. Using the words of archbishop Wenski, “Each day, we are surrounded by the clamor of the world—its demands, its distractions, its pressures—but even in the midst of it all, God calls us to pause, to listen, and to respond to the quiet prompting within us: to see and serve the needs of others. Let us come together to bring light where there is darkness, peace where there is conflict, and love where there is need. There is great strength in unity— and when we are united in Christ, we become a powerful force for good in a world longing for hope and healing.”

Pope Leo XIV said that we must go forward, united hand in hand with God. I will invite you all to be part of the Archbishop’s Charities and Development Drive, the ABCD that begins this weekend in our archdiocese. Let us be One Body, One Spirit, One Family!

Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Katharine Drexel, Saint Michael the Archangel, St. José Gregorio Hernández, Pope Saint Pius X, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Charbel, pray for us.

Yours in Christ!
Fr. Omar