In Part 3 of the Called By Name series, Fr. Will reflects on the call of the first disciples in Matthew 4. While the Gospel can make it seem like the disciples followed Jesus instantly, the wider witness of Scripture shows that Jesus had already been drawing them into relationship over time.

This homily explores vocation as a twofold call: first into relationship—“Come after me”—and then into mission—“I will make you fishers of men.” Every baptized person shares in the universal call to holiness, while each of us also receives a particular vocation, most often lived through marriage, priesthood, or consecrated life.

The challenge is simple but demanding: like the disciples, we are asked to drop our nets, to let go of what we think will make us happy, and to trust that Jesus truly knows the way to our flourishing.

This session is the second talk in the That They May Have Life: Christian Morality series. Picking up from the previous week’s focus on happiness, beatitude, and conversion, Fr. Will turns to a central question of discipleship: if we are made for flourishing, why do we so often miss the mark?

The talk introduces the Catholic understanding of sin as an offense against love—often described in Scripture as “missing the mark”—and explains how original sin wounds human nature without destroying it. Fr. Will then clarifies the Church’s distinctions between mortal sin, venial sin, and moral imperfections or dispositions, emphasizing that sin is fundamentally a matter of the will and that healing and freedom come through Christ and the sacraments, especially reconciliation.

The session concludes by laying the groundwork for moral decision-making through the three fonts of morality (object, intention, circumstances), showing how acts are judged as good or evil and why some acts are intrinsically evil—wrong always and everywhere—regardless of intention. Throughout, the teaching is presented with a pastoral clarity that distinguishes judging actions from judging persons, encouraging both truth and mercy as Christians seek holiness and real freedom in Christ.

This homily is the second reflection in the Called by Name: Relationship, Identity, and Mission series. Preached by Dcn. Chris Haberberger, it focuses on the unshakable Christian identity revealed in baptism.

Beginning with the simple but searching question, “Who are you?”, the homily examines the many labels we use to define ourselves—our work, relationships, achievements, and affiliations—and the anxiety that arises when those identities shift or disappear. While these roles matter, they are ultimately fragile and unable to bear the full weight of the human heart.

Drawing from the Gospel of John, Dcn. Chris proclaims the central truth of the Christian faith: through baptism, we are not metaphorically but truly made sons and daughters of God. This identity is not achieved through performance or self-construction, but received as a gift of God’s love. From this secure identity flows true holiness, freedom, and vocation—not as anxious striving, but as a trusting response that can finally say, “Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.”

This reflection prepares the way for the final homily in the series, which will focus on mission as the fruit of relationship and identity.