Growth as a Body of Disciples

Dear Friends,

In a commentary on this week’s Gospel, Franciscan scholar Dan Horan, OFM makes this point: Jesus actively recruits his students and disciples and meets them “in the routine ordinariness of life – repairing nets, fishing…etc”. In other words, for Jesus, it wasn’t a matter of students choosing to come to him; rather, Jesus is actively seeking and forming a body of believers bold enough to follow him.

How can we grow here at the parish as a body of disciples following Jesus? As we begin this new year under very disrupted and reorganized “routines,” I’d ask you to consider three key areas of our life as a parish and how Jesus might be calling you to follow: 1. Family Ministry.  As a parish how can we strengthen our shared commitment to welcoming and engaging with families who have young children in order to pass the faith along to the next generation?  2.  Faith Formation.  What are the primary factors shaping our hearts and consciences? What place does our Catholic Franciscan Gospel tradition have in preparing us for responsible engagement with the social justice questions that have emerged in our nation over the last year, including those connected to the history of Mission Santa Barbara?  3. Building tools for connecting with each other. Drawing on the work of the “outreach angels” during the beginning stages of the pandemic, how might we reconnect with each other, identify needs, and reset our communication strategy to get to know each other, using tools such as a parish census?  

When Jesus went to Galilee with his call for repentance, he was announcing a new work of God in creation. We are at our own “turning point,” which is not a bad way to describe our conversion and renewal as a community!

Gratefully

Fr. Dan ofm