Dear Parishioners:
- We begin this Third Week of Ordinary Time, in the first reading from the book of Jonah 3:1-5, God called Jonah and sent him to Nineveh to announce repentance and faith in God or they would all be destroyed. Jonah did as God said and within a day, the whole city repented, “believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth”.
When the disciples in today's Gospel of Mark 1:14-20, leave their nets and present occupations in order to submit to God's Kingdom, they model what this turning from and turning toward means. How can we bring the Good News of God and of Jesus to our cities that are often so vast, so impersonal, so busy and filled with noise?
What does Jesus Christ demand of us today? Repentance, conversion, a turning away from our own ideas about how God's Kingdom should operate and a turning toward belief in Christ's teaching and example about God's Kingdom that is among us here and now. Our ultimate commission is to preach the word of God in season and out of season.
- Last Friday, January 22 was the forty-eighth anniversary of the U. S. Supreme Court Decision Roe vs. Wade - a “Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children””. The Bishops of our nation have asked all Catholics to fast and do extra penance as small reparation for the millions of abortions committed in our country, and for the legal approval of these actions.
In response to this effort, the Knights of Columbus and Parishioners from St. Gabriel and Prince of Peace Parishes was encouraged to attend the livestreamed “Mass for Life” on Friday, January 22 at 8:00 AM with Archbishop Etienne and (with many Catholics through our Archdiocese) at St. James Cathedral in Seattle this year because we’re still in Coronavirus protocol restriction. Please pray for conversions and a “culture of life” in our time.
- Please support the Northwest Catholic Magazine – the official publication of the Archdiocese of Seattle. Its mission is to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to Catholics in Western Washington, to teach, inspire and form disciples who know the Lord and live their faith to the full. There will be a special collection at all Masses next weekend. A flyer is included in the bulletin this weekend.
- Our Archdiocese of Seattle celebrates “Catholic School Week” at the end of January. I’m sure there will be many articles and school features in the Northwest Progress in the next issue (an Archdiocesan Magazine). If any family from our parish who would be interested in Catholic Education for their children, please our neighboring parishes – Our Lady of Star of the Sea – Bremerton OR Nicholas – Gig Harbor.
Christ’s Peace,
Fr. Phuong Hoang