It looks like the real winter has arrived. I write this Friday morning. Fortunately we didn't get as much snow as predicted but the cold has turned almost everything on the ground into ice. I'm being extra careful walking. I hope you are, too. But it is February. As you all know February is Black History Month. If you have picked up our parish calendar, I suggest that you study it carefully this month since many Black Heroes and events are highlighted.
Next Sunday is Valentine's Day. Do something nice for someone you know! Next weekend we also celebrate President's Day. When I was growing up we had two holidays, one for Washington and one for Lincoln. Now the holiday is combined. Let us pray for our second Catholic President, Joe Biden.
On the 7th, we celebrate the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our first reading is from the Book of Job. I think we all know something about Job's story. The Book of Job has 42 Chapters, but we just read a little from Chapter 7 today. It is not a very happy reading. Job says: "Is not man's life on earth a drudgery?" And he concludes this reading: "I shall not see happiness again." Job is the big example of the good man who had it all, family, health, wealth and happiness. Then it is all taken away. In today's reading, he is talking to his friends about his predicament. At the time this book of the Bible was written, people believed good things came to good people and bad things came to bad people. That was the Will of God. Job was written to show us that bad things can and do happen to good people. It is just the way life is. In today's Gospel, Mark continues the same theme. Jesus is preaching and curing people, when he goes to Peter's house and they find Peter's mother-in-law sick with a fever. Jesus takes her by the hand and cures her "and she waited on them." Jesus cures her for service to others. Jesus helps us through tough times for service to others as well. Both bad and good things happen to people in life. How we deal with them is the important thing.
In our second reading St. Paul tells us this as well. "Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it." Let us try to save at least some as well.
We continue to have our Sunday Masses at 8:15 and 10:30 AM. We have masks and hand sanitizer and keep social distance. Envelopes and parish calendars are still available in the foyer. Cheryl and Francine are still recording the 10:30 Mass and putting it on line shortly there after. Ash Wednesday is February 17 and on the 21st we will put a Black History Through Music Program on line. Take care and stay well.