Abbey

Dear Friends in Christ,

This Friday, Dec. 24 six young men will receive the white Norbertine habit at our Abbey as they enter the novitiate. These seminarians have said yes to God who invited them to “become fishers of men”. When Jesus called the first disciples who were fishermen, He summoned them to drop their nets and follow Him. “I will make you fishers of men,” (Mt. 4:19) He told them. In Matthew’s Gospel, we see Simon and Andrew, two of the first 12 Jesus called, literally drop their fishing supplies and join Jesus in His mission to spread the good news. In much the same way, Jesus calls each one of us today, and He wants us to respond. That may seem like a bit of a stretch given that Simon and Andrew audibly heard and saw the Lord as He called out to them, and then, when they left their nets behind, they walked side by side with Jesus in the flesh. Can Jesus be calling us too? Yes, He can and indeed He does. Jesus calls each one of us by name at our Baptism. He invites us to follow Him, and that invitation requires a response on our part.

“Drop your nets and follow me,” Jesus says to each one of us. Each of our responses to that invitation will look a bit different. After all, most of us do not fish for a living, and even if we do, the fishing industry is not what it was 2,000 years ago. Maybe you’re a musician or a seamstress or a good cook or a businessman. Whatever your talent, Christ calls YOU to follow Him, and, just as He called the first disciples, He calls YOU to use those talents to serve Him and build His kingdom.

Please pray for our six new Norbertine novices as they commit to following Jesus in our canonical way of life. Then also pray and reflect how you will respond to Jesus calling you to live out your baptismal commitment to follow Him.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand