Dear Friends,

A week ago some of our Parish and school staff members surprised me with a humbling Birthday celebration and cake. As I later sat and reflected on this event, I recalled a song we once sang as novices: "What a wonder to be in the Vineyard of the Lord God. He is calling us to become witnesses. Forever, and to teach his word to all nations, here on earth, yes, until the end of time!"

If God had not given me life through my parents, I would not be celebrating anything. And if my parents had not presented me to be baptized, I would not be here sharing the faith with you! I pray and wish that we also celebrate our Baptismal Day Anniversary as much as we celebrate our Birthdays. Remember: When we are born, we bring joy to our parents and relatives, but when we get baptized or receive other sacraments, we bring more joy to ourselves, our families, and heaven. When Jesus came out of the water after being baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, the heavens opened. The Spirit of God descended like a dove, and a voice from heaven proclaimed, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." All four Gospels confirm this: Mathew 3:16-17, Mark 1:10-11, Luke 3:21-22 and John 1:32-34.

This is indeed wonderful. Imagine: Our baptism brings joy both on earth and in heaven! Each and every one of us who is a Christian has been called, formed, and sent to the world. Christian life is a vocation, my dear friends, and Christian identity does not rest on human achievement but on the grace of God, who establishes covenant, reconciles sinners, and empowers mission. We are called, formed, and sent into the world to build the Kingdom of God.

God calls a people to Himself; He forms them according to His purpose; and He sends them to participate in His saving work. Importantly, each stage of this vocation is an act of divine initiative. In this week's first reading from Exodus, Israel arrives at Sinai. God speaks through Moses, grounding Israel's vocation in divine action: "You have seen what I did ... how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself." The divine initiative is expressed through the Hebrew verb nasa' (Ni)), "to carry," which conveys God's protective and sustaining action. Israel's identity is not self-generated; it is the result of God's saving intervention. God then proposes the covenant: "If you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession."

Jesus Himself said, "You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give you." (John 15:14-16)

Our vocation begins with divine initiative: God carries Israel, reconciles sinners through Christ, and commissions disciples through Jesus' compassionate authority. Human response- obedience, holiness, proclamation- is the fruit of God's prior action. This pattern provides clarity for today's Christian life:

• First, the believer's identity cannot be grounded in personal achievement or religious performance. It is rooted in God's choosing and reconciling love.
• Second, mission is not optional or secondary; it is intrinsic to Christian identity. To belong to God is to be sent by God.
• Third, the content and method of the mission must reflect its source. Christians are sent not to impose themselves but to mediate Christ's compassion, truth, and healing.

Finally, the mission demands humility, because all that we have and are is freely given to us by our good God. Let us allow the Sacred Heart of Jesus, full of compassion and Love, to touch our own hearts so that we can feel for and feel with those who are harassed and helpless in our society.

Let us pray and allow Jesus's words "The Kingdom of God is at hand...You received without cost; give without cost" to resonate in our hearts and influence our Christian action towards one another. Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for our salvation.
St. Joseph, pray for us.

Jesus, I trust in you.

I LOVE YOU.

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