Tomorrow, January 18th, we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! This man fought and died for the dignity of the human person. A person’s worth and dignity is not determined by the color of their skin but by the mere fact that this person is just that – a human person.
We do not define a person by what they look like or where they come from. We do not define someone by what ideas they hold, the philosophy by which they live, or the world view from which they operate.
Dr. King fought for a world in which people are not judged by their identity, their race, their color, but by their character. On this day of remembrance, it would behoove us all to do just that and follow in the footsteps of this great man.
If you are in Atlanta and can go by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic Site, you will not regret it! His sermons are being played over the loud speaker in the church where he preached. It is worth a trip! I went there a few years ago for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed it! It was good to learn more about this pivotal figure in our nation’s history.
Vocation
In the readings of this weekend, God calls Samuel and he calls Andrew and John and then Peter. Samuel replied to the calling saying, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” God called him to live a life of a prophet for the people of Israel and he became a holy man of God by following his calling. In the Gospel, we have John the Baptist pointing out Jesus as the Lamb of God and two of his disciples following Jesus. Jesus invites the two disciples, Andrew and John, to come and see where he is staying and to spend the day with him. They did and their lives changed forever!
The Master is asking each of us today and perhaps some young men to “Come and see.” Perhaps the Lord Jesus might be calling some of the young men in our parish to be priests and some young ladies in the parish to be religious sisters. Come and see. Is there someone you know who you think may be called? If so, encourage them to “Go and see.” The first step is a simple one – go speak to the priest! If you have someone in mind, let the priest know. We can invite them to “Come and See.”
May the Lord Jesus bless you and your families abundantly this week!
~ Fr. Daniel Firmin