By Fr. Martin Martiny, OP

St.  Mark tells us this week that after having submitted to baptism, fasting in the wilderness, and being tempted by the devil in the desert, Christ undertakes his mission from the father. He goes to Galilee promising, “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.” We say God can do anything. We mean God can do anything that is consistent with his nature of perfect goodness, love, mercy, justice… God cannot fail to keep His promises.

In preparation for challenging the Roman Empire and, indeed, the whole world as well, Christ lays the foundation of His Church. He selects and begins to nurture his apostles. Simon and Andrew abandon their fishing nets to follow him. James and John do the same, leaving their father with his hired help to continue mending their fishing nets. Additionally, Christ calls Levi, the Jewish tax collector, a man shunned by the pharisees and scribes. None of Christ’s choices would hint of personal historical greatness. None of these had any concrete knowledge or understanding of what the Lord would send them to do. Certainly, they did not expect the martyrdom awaiting them and Christ himself.  The weaker the chosen, the greater God’s glory.

Although the prophet Jonah’s story in our first reading is set centuries before the time of Christ, the message to the people of Nineveh, not Jews but Assyrians who would actually conquer the Israelites of the Northern Kingdom: “Repent and be saved. The kingdom of God is at hand.” The weak and disobedient Jonah announces that the kingdom is open to all descendants of Adam and Eve.

Jonah, nonetheless, before carrying God’s message, so rejected God’s call that he ran away to sea. Once on the ship his shipmates feared he was bad luck and threw him overboard in a storm. Immediately a whale swallowed Jonah. After three days inside the whale, Jonah was spit out onto land. God called him again to deliver his message to the people of Nineveh: “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” he shouted. The people of Nineveh, struck with fear, repented, fasted, and donned sackcloth seeking mercy. God spared them, not because Jonah was good or powerful; but due to the relentless power of God’s love.

Two millennia after the Cross and Resurrection, that same kingdom of love and mercy is open to all sinners, to each of us. We too have our storms at sea. We too often doubt and seek to avoid God’s will or even reject it along with God himself. God is, nevertheless, relentless.

Without taking away our free will, God calls us to specific vocations: married, single lay person, religious life, the priesthood. Within these vocations we may change our tasks multiple times; but our vocation will always be to orient ourselves, our families, and all whom we encounter to Christ the Redeemer. To all whom God places in our unique path to holiness, our cry must be “The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.”
 

Sunday, January 24 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time         
4:15 pm Loretta Pilson
7:00 am Robert Rusterholtz †
9:00 am People of the Parish
10:30 am Dominican Laity, St. Louis Bertrand Chapter
12:00 noon Deceased Members of the Burns Family †
5:15 pm Lindsay & Daniel Duncan & Family

Monday, January 25 Conversion of St. Paul (F)
7:00 am Nathan Givan
12:00 noon Dee Tenshaw

Tuesday,  January  26
7:00 am Clifford Kuhl †
12:00 noon Lora Robertson

Wednesday, January  27
7:00 am Carey Family
12:00 noon. Fr. Dominic Bump. O.P.

Thursday, January 28 St. Thomas Aquinas, O.P. (F)
7:00 am Anna & Theo Kaufman
12:00 noon DeLaRosa Family

Friday, January  29
7:00 am Reagan McKenna
12:00 noon Louis Bertrand Ford †

Saturday, January 30
7:00 am Joseph E. Hicks †
12:00 noon Donald Skaggs

Sunday, January 31 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
4:15 pm Mr. & Mrs. Ken & Flo Carrico
7:00 am Nathan Rausch †
9:00 am Robert & Marilyn Taylor †
10:30 am Lawrence & Irene Clark
12:00 noon People of the Parish
5:15 pm Ben & Clara Sant
 

Prayer List

The sanctuary lamp burning in front of the Tabernacle this week is for Bill Daniel Nellums.
The sanctuary lamp burning in the Priory Chapel this week is for Brooke Egan.

Please pray for the following members and friends of the parish who need healing:
Ralph Adams, Frank Alvey, Jim Alvey, Anita Anderson, Mary Elise Biegert, Maria Cristeta Aranda, Sharonda Bailey, Ray Barry, Jr., Anna Beck, Fr. Emmanuel Bertrand, O.P, Shirley Blumer, Christine & Patricia Borders, Buddy & Joan Bouchard, Gayle Brady, Eliza Brian, Bob Breckheimer, Pam Britt, Janette Brown, Elizabeth Browning, Michael Browning, Misty Carpenter, Donna Carter, Amy Casabella, Molly Chesney, Kristi Chisolm, Susan Coleman, James Conway, Traci Cooley, Vernon David, Nancy Deane, George Devine, Shirley Dietz, Lorli Dolson, John Eaton, Brooke Egan, Patricia Z. Elliott, Sally Embry, Eleanor Ennis, Roger Estes, Ella B. Ficher, Len Frederick, Freeman Family, Delores Fuchs, Nicholas Gabbard, Guia Garcia, Justin Goldner, Louise Gregory, Whitney Gregory Sr., Jadyn Hemmer, Dottie Hickerson, James Hickerson, Maxwell Charles Hilsenrad, Shalonda Hobson, Faye David Holt, Scott Hood, Ruby Hyde, Erik Jensen, Keri Jensen, Dr. Jack Johnson, Clare Joseph, Tony Kaelin, Martha King, Robert King, Christine Koprucki, Rick Lesch, Marcia Long, Fr. Sam Matarazzo, OP, Gloria Miracle, Ashley Misback, Mike Misback, Elizabeth Moir, Anna C. Moorman, Chris Murphy, Donnie Nally, Natalie & Family, Ashley Neal, Carol Osborne, Alex Pasqual, Pham Family, Paula Pilcher, Regina Pine, Bonnie Queen, David Ralph, Fr. Francis Ralph, O.P., Mark Raque, Christian Renne, Tonya Ritchie, Everett Romanick, Chase Roth, Steven Russell, Bert Anthony Sauer, Owen Schmitt, Donald Skaggs, Sr., Jill Spanyer, Lisa Spratt, Claire Stanley, Paul Stanley, Gloria Stewart, Anna Maria Tarullo, Mary Lou Turner, Irv Turpin, Valerie Vettiner, Natalie Wathen, Darlene Weaver, Leslie Weinfeld, Kim Wennerberg, Sheri Russell Whitlow, Debbie Wibbels, Nelson Williams, Sharon Williams, Ed & Fannye Wickley, Linda Winter, Wise Family, Robert Woodmansee, Demetrius Woods, Mary and George Yates, Michael Zauche.

Please pray for our men and women serving in the armed forces:
Army: Daniel K. Bourke, Matthew Cannon, Jake Frankrone, James McWhorter, Kevin Meany, Michael Mullaney, Alex Newsom, Juan “Johnny” Quiroz, Adam Renn, Gregory M. Smith, Dan Tabacchi, Joseph Larry Thomas, Jim Wolkensperg
Marine Corps: Matthew Bersot, Casey Carraro, Kyle Christian, Chris Kenney, Matthew Kessinger, Wesley Peralta, David F. Ralph, Elijah Rock, James Roszyk, Stephen Wolf, Cody Wright
Navy: John Chapman, Mitchell M. Givens, Fr. Ed Gorman, OP, Michael Karas
Air Force: Jeff Dillman, David Douglas, Joshua Ford, Craig McGreal, Eric May, T.J. May, Kristie Miller, Michael Richards, Henry H. “Tres” Triplett III
Air National Guard: Vincenzo LaFronza, Robert Paul Yaden
Army National Guard: John Rock

Please call the office at (502) 583-4448 to remove folks from the list after they are healed or have returned from service.
 

Contributions for January 17, 2021
Collections & Online Giving $15,318.50
Opportunities for Life $1,785.00
Poor Box $341.00

Year-to-date as of 12/31/20
Collections & Online Giving $491,750.00 (Budget) $510,720.04 (received)
Maintenance/ Renovation $40,000.00 (Budget) $38,294.70 (received)
Poor Box $ 26,000.00 (Budget) $27,449.45 (received)

Thank you for your generous donations. 
Please remember St. Louis Bertrand Church in your will.

If you shop at Kroger, please support St. Louis Bertrand!
https://www.kroger.com/i/community/community-rewards. 

Donations Needed for the Emergency Aid Center
Please put bars of soap in the bin at the back of church for the needy of our community. Thanks!

STLB Volunteer Day @ Franciscan Kitchen 
Saturday, January 30, 2021; 7:30 -10 am or 10 am- 12:45 pm 
Please contact Cathy Harpring at (502) 550-1714 or cjharpring@gmail.com to volunteer.
 

Respect Life
During the week of  Jan. 10- 16, 94 women entered the EMW abortion clinic at 2nd & Market St.  Please pray for an end to abortion.

Project Rachel – Reconciliation and Healing for Those Experiencing Pain from an Abortion Experience 
You may know someone who has been touched by abortion. Too often, these women and men think hope and healing are out of their reach. But the mercy of Jesus and the compassion of others are waiting for each. Come back to God, who is love and mercy. For confidential assistance, please call Project Rachel: 888-456- HOPE (888-456-4673) or visit www.info@helpafterabortion.org.

St. Joseph Children’s Home
Foster & Adoptive Parent Virtual Informational Meetings:
February 2nd & March 2nd; 5:45pm
Kentucky Kids need you! Individual meetings available upon request.
Email: BethW@SJKids.org; Phone: (502) 893-0241 ext. 204 orVisit our website at: www.SJKIDS.org

WLCR Louisville’s Catholic Radio Station
Seeking Full-time Administrative Assistant
Position includes handling all aspects of daily activities.
General knowledge of Catholic teaching and philosophy is helpful; full acceptance is essential.  For full job description, visit: www.WLCR.org/hiring. Email resume and salary requirements to: Vince@WLCR.net.

Catholic Charities’ Festive Fundraiser, Rouler!
February 16th; from 6:30 to 7:30pm
Save the date for It’s Fat Tuesday, New Orleans Style: on Facebook Live. https://cclou.org/rouler-2021/. Let the good times roll!
Prayer Calendar for Vocations
The Vocation Office of the Archdiocese of Louisville has started a prayer calendar for vocations. It includes days of prayers for seminarians, Vocation Office staff, priest birthdays, etc. You can find it at https://www.louisvillevocations.com/resources/prayers/
St. Nicholas Academy Open House
January 27th; 7:30- 10am and 4 - 7pm
PreK (3) to grade 8
We would love to see you join us! You will have to go to this Please sign up on the website as each family will have their own personalized tour. Please visit https://sites.google.com/sna-panthers.org/snaopenhouse/home, email office@sna-panthers.org, or call 368-8506. Come see what SNA is all about.
Catholic Charities Helps Moms
Catholics prayed and marched this week for an end to abortion and greater respect for all human life. This year Catholic Charities will serve new and established moms with classes on how to care for their kiddos and themselves, and provide essentials ranging from car seats to cribs. Learn more at https://cclou.org.