The readings this weekend share as their common theme God’s invitation: “Be opened!” The prophet Isaiah foretells a time in which God will open the eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf, the tongues of the mute, and the dry desert springs. The apostle James invites us to be open to the needs of the poor, and to open our eyes to the ways in which we show favoritism to the rich and powerful. Finally, in the Gospel, Jesus opens the ears and loosens the tongue of a man born deaf and mute, and invites those who witness this healing to a deeper faith in God’s power to save. As you enter church today, you will see a new banner hanging over the altar. This banner will remain throughout the coming year, as a visual reminder of our theme this year: OUR MISSION: SENT FORTH TO PROCLAIM AND LIVE GOD’S MERCY. The image speaks for itself: a little church in the heart of a big city, radiating with light, with the heart and cross of Christ overlooking the whole. We too are invited this year to “be opened”: open to embrace the mission to which the Lord calls each of us – as individuals, as families, as a parish community; open to a renewed personal experience of God’s infinite mercy and love; open to living and sharing the good news of God’s mercy, so that the church is seen not as a place of exclusion and condemnation, but one of healing, forgiveness, and wholeness. Stay tuned as over the next few weeks, we explore in greater depths the many ways in which – through worship, faith formation, social outreach, and the spirituality of stewardship – we will give shape this year to this call to live and proclaim God’s mercy. All are welcome!