Dear Parishioners of St. James:
Praised be Jesus Christ!
Our Lord Jesus Christ calls certain people to a vocation to be with Him. Priests and religious are called to be with Jesus. While married persons are busy with the demands of love toward their family members, those whom Our Lord calls to the priesthood and to consecrated religious life as sisters, brothers, and religious priests are principally called to remain with Jesus. It’s that simple: the Lord wants some people just to be with Him.
Friends want to be with each other. Priests and religious have a special invitation (even responsibility) to live with Jesus as His friend. A priest I heard of neglected his prayer life and heard Our Lord’s voice rebuke him saying, “You used to be my friend. Now you just work for me.” The priest redoubled his prayer life after feeling the sting of Our Lord’s words. The priest had filled his life with the busyness of serving and had neglected his relationship with the One who called him to friendship. After Jesus called Peter and Andrew in today’s Gospel they, “Went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they stayed with him that day” (Jn. 1:39). Little did those men realize that they would be with Jesus (happily) their entire lives. When Jesus calls a man or woman to be with Him, He wants to establish an intimacy that is set apart from the world, a way of being with Jesus.
Is Jesus calling you to be with Him? Is Jesus saying to you: “Come and you will see?” (Jn. 1:39). Some special people are called to be with Jesus. Say ‘yes’ if God is calling you. He wants a deep friendship with those whom He calls, a way of being with Him that will never end.
God bless you,
Fr. Geary
Saint James Catholic Church 