Remember that I told you a while back that there would be changes coming along from time to time in the parish. We are coming to one of those times. Right now, the most significant changes involve looking to hire new staff for the parish. St. Rose, if not the biggest parish in the diocese, is certainly one of the two or three biggest. Like everything else in Murfreesboro, St. Rose has grown tremendously in recent years. In some ways, we do not think of ourselves as a big parish. But we are! In addition, we have recently incorporated our Hispanic community more fully into our parish life which has added new life as well as more of everything. The positions that we are looking for will help the parish to function more smoothly with continued growth. We are looking for a Business Manager to coordinate our business operations that run into the millions of dollars. We are looking for a full-time music director to coordinate multiple Masses every weekend, special seasons with special music, as well as funerals, weddings, and other special services that arise sometimes multiple times in a week. We are also looking for a catechetical director to enhance all levels of religious instruction for multiple needs in an increasingly diverse parish. We will not be rushing into hiring, but we are looking for candidates who will be a good fit for the parish and will help us to serve better to our expanding needs. My desire is to keep the parish informed of developments as they arise.

Faithfully,
Fr. Baker

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On these Sundays after Epiphany until the beginning of Lent, the readings help us to know Jesus better. Today, for example, we have his first miracle: the changing of water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana. In this Gospel story, we see how well his mother Mary knows Jesus. She knows him so well that she gets him to change his mind! And she tells us how to have miracles in our lives. She tells us: "Do whatever he tells you." That is the best advice ever given. They are her last words to us in the scriptures. Spend time with Jesus and listen to him. If you do what he tells you, then you will have full and abundant life! It is as simple as that.

Faithfully,
Fr. Baker

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"Divine filiation" is a theological term for the fact that we are God's children, and it is the most important thing to know about ourselves. For the first time today, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Jesus in His humanity is publicly acknowledged by the Father as His Son. This is what God the Father does in Baptism. He acknowledges His children.

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I am very thankful to God for putting me in this parish. As we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany this weekend, I am conscious of how zealously the people of Saint Rose want to make Jesus Christ known. We are called to be like the star of Bethlehem which led the Magi to the Savior! We are indeed Saint Rose Stars!

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