February 1, 2026 Essay: Rejoice and Be Glad!
Happy February! For the shortest month of the year, there sure is a lot happening—just check out this bulletin! For example, in 17 days, on February 18th, we will begin again our solemn fast, the Lenten journey from ashes to glory. In 19 days, the greatest phrase in our country—“Play Ball!”—will be uttered as Spring Training begins and, at last, all is right in the world with Major League Baseball returning to action! (So, if you’re looking for me then, you now know where to find me…)
Back here in wintry New York, in just 5 days, on February 6th, the Most Reverend Ronald A. Hicks will be installed as the eleventh Archbishop of our Archdiocese. In these days leading up to the Mass of Installation, we pray in gratitude for the years of ministry and care from Cardinal Dolan. And we pray for Archbishop Hicks, that the Lord will give him the grace of the heart of a pastor, the very heart of the Good Shepherd.
Back to our February countdown: In just one day, tomorrow, Monday, February 2nd, the Church marks 40 days since the great feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ as we celebrate the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. In keeping with Jewish law, Mary and Joseph go to the Temple in Jerusalem to present their son to God in thanksgiving and joy. It is there that they encounter the prophets Simeon and Anna, who both had been eagerly awaiting the coming of the Messiah. The Lord Jesus is presented in the Temple as the light of the nations, and so we bless candles to remind ourselves that Jesus is the true light, and that we all are called to carry the light of Christ into the world.
For the last three decades the Church has also marked the 2nd of February as World Day for Consecrated Life, as we celebrate the light that comes from the vocations of women and men religious. Consecrated life is nothing new to our parish, as we Jesuits have been here since 1866! The parish school, too, was blessed to have the Sisters of Charity for a good number of years, and a Sister of Mercy for the last several years. In fact, last week we celebrated Catholic Schools Week, where we gave thanks for the gift of consecrated life in our parish school. I’m sure that many of you were also the recipients of the care, teaching, and support of religious women and men in your own upbringing.
At our core, we religious are called to be signs of hope and light, called to be joyful messengers of the Gospel. As Pope Francis said in a 2013 speech to religious-in-formation:
“Wherever there are consecrated people, seminarians, men and women religious, young people, there is joy, there is always joy! It is the joy of freshness, the joy of following Jesus; the joy that the Holy Spirit gives us, not the joy of the world. There is joy!”
This joy of following Jesus, the joy of the Gospel, shows itself in tender moments of deep encounter, when we truly see each other as God sees us. For indeed, as Pope Francis says, “joy, true joy is contagious; it is infectious… it impels one forward.” I hope, in some small way, we Jesuits have been joyful messengers of the Gospel in our encounters with you, impelling you forward to be the joyful presence of Jesus in the world.
Please pray for us—and for all religious women and men—that we may be filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, the joy of following Jesus! And pray for vocations: that young people will be open to the call to serve the Church joyfully as consecrated women and men.
– Rev. Jonathan P. Pennacchia, S.J., Pastoral Year Priest