Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

News and Notes:  We are celebrating the anointing of the sick this weekend after the 4PM Saturday Masses in both parishes and the 10AM (SMG) and 11AM (OLA) Sunday Masses in observance of the 22^ndannual World Day of the Sick (which is officially February 11).  In his message for this occasion, Pope Francis comments on the theme of “Faith and Charity:  We Ought to Lay Down Our Lives for One Another” (I John 3:16).  To the sick the Holy Father says:  “The Church recognizes in you a special presence of the suffering Christ.  It is true.  At the side of ---and indeed within---our suffering is the suffering of Christ; he bears its burdens with us and he reveals its meaning.  When the Son of God mounted the cross, he destroyed the solitude of suffering and illuminated its darkness.  We thus find ourselves before the mystery of God’s love for us, which gives us hope and courage: hope because in the plan of God’s love even the night of pain yields to the light of Easter, and courage, which enables us to confront every hardship in his company, in union with him.”  To those who enjoy good health the pope says:  “By virtue of Baptism and Confirmation we are called to conform ourselves to Christ, who is the Good Samaritan for all who suffer.  ‘We know love by this…he laid down his life for us---and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.’  When we draw near with tender love to those in need of care, we bring hope and God’s smile to the contradictions of the world.  When generous devotion to others becomes the hallmark of our actions, we give way to the Heart of Christ and bask in its warmth, and thus contribute to the coming of God’s Kingdom.”  Next weekend, we will celebrate World Marriage Day by giving married couples an opportunity to renew their wedding vows following the homily at all the Masses.  Blessings to all of you in the week ahead!