In the gospel today, Jesus invites Peter, Andrew, James and John to “come after me.” And immediately, they leave everything they have to follow Jesus.
The phrase “come after me” is pretty powerful. As Jesus’ current disciples, we’re called to be the Body of Christ in the world. We’re his hands, his voice, his words of comfort, his kindness, his thirst for justice, his desire for peace.
So, to “come after him” is to be transformed. Those who stay with Jesus (the message of last week’s gospel) discover that all the gifts and talents God gives us aren’t just to help us do what we do for a living, but to be disciples of Christ. The four fisherman Jesus called were eventually transformed into fishers of men, and that’s when they found their true identity.
Jesus gives us what we need to see the world through his eyes and to be his disciples. We “come after him” because he’s shown us the way and how to walk the path.
Around the Parish:
Let there be lights! As many of you know, as the days became shorter and shorter, it seemed the lights in the parking lot became fewer and fewer. We’ve been working with Delaware Electric to help install new, high efficiency, longer lasting, environmentally-friendly LED lights. (Say that 10 times fast!) About twice a year we had to change bulbs around the parking lots. These new lights will last about 15 years—a huge improvement! We still have some more to install, but we’re almost there.
January 17 was St. Hubert Catholic School Day in Hoffman Estates! This past Tuesday, after the all-school Mass, Mayor Bill McLeod and some members of the Village Board came to St. Hubert to present the official proclamation. The Village wanted to affirm the generosity of the students who helped coordinate the Soup-er Stadium Food Challenge. As a parish, we collected over 8,000 food items to help stock the Catholic Charities food pantries in the Chicagoland area.
Marching for Life. As Catholics, we value human life from conception to natural death. This week we pray for all those who are Marching for Life in Washington DC, especially the incredible number of teens and young adults who make the trip each year. Our own Right to Life group will also be handing out baby bottles this weekend as we take part in The Baby Bottle Project. It’s a simple way to raise money to support the work of The Women’s Centers here in Chicago, who in turn help pregnant mothers and families needing help, often in the midst of a crisis.
Catholic Schools Week is Coming. As a parish, we’ll be celebrating our Catholic school beginning with 9 a.m. Mass on January 28 followed by an Open House right afterward. This weekend, in addition to St. Hubert, school parents and students are visiting the Church of the Holy Spirit, St. Marcelline and St. Matthew to spread the good news about our school. If you have time, stop by the table in the narthex to meet some of our school families and hear about the good things happening there. Alumni, please stop by to let us know what you’ve been up to.
As we head into a new week, may God bless you and lead you in all you do,