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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In today’s Gospel, we hear about John the Baptist. “A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.” John knew his purpose. He was not brought into this world to draw people to himself. His purpose was to lead people to Jesus. “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord”. Like John, our purpose is to lead as many people as we can into a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Like John, this requires us to humble ourselves and to allow God to be the one who changes lives. We are simply the messengers. We are sent out on mission to tell everyone the basic Gospel message of salvation. To be sent on mission requires several steps on our part.
First, we must be open to an ongoing encounter with the One who sends us out; our Lord Jesus Christ. If He is not the one forming us and empowering us to be sent forth on mission, then the fruit will be limited.
Second, we must be open to being formed as disciples and working together as many members of one body. Friends, this is why Archbishop Vigneron is asking us to form families of parishes. We are limited in what we can accomplish when we are isolated from one another. Imagine the potential of partnering with 5 other parishes. Imagine coordinating evangelization with hundreds of leaders instead of 10 or 15. Imagine more opportunities for praise, worship, adoration, spiritual and intellectual formation. This is the goal of Families of Parishes. Together, God can use us powerfully. Isolated from one another, we are limited in what we can accomplish.
Friends, I encourage you to begin praying now for the parishes in our family. Ask the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom to see the path forward and to be obedient to the will of God. As we continue this Advent period of preparing the way of the Lord, let us begin to prepare our hearts and minds to become a band of joyful missionary disciples to be sent out on mission as a “Holy Spirit filled beacon of God’s love guiding all into a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ”.
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Jim Lowe, CC