Mark 1:14-20
After John had
been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from
God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand.
Repent, and believe the Good News.’ As he was walking along by the Sea of
Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for
they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you
into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him. Going
on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too
were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving
their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.
Food for
thought!
In yesterday's
gospel reading we saw that when the time came, Jesus left his home Nazareth,
never to return to it. He left his mother and his family and followed God's
call. Today, the same happens. Jesus is going around telling the people that
the TIME HAS COME. He then calls some people to follow him, and they do. These
people are doing exactly what Jesus did yesterday: they leave home and family,
never to return.
Jesus wants us
to follow him, that is, he wants us to know the truth that there is always a
time to leave home and family and friends, because of Jesus. This means that home
is home but only until Jesus shows up; family is family but only until Jesus
shows up; our place of work our place of work but only until Jesus shows up;
our profession is our profession but only before Jesus shows up.
Those first
disciples of Jesus had been all their life fishermen; all they knew was fishing
and fish and sea. This was their profession and their place of work,
respectively. Their loyalty was tied to their father Zebedee. When Jesus showed
up, all of this changed. Their profession changed, their workplace changed and
the person of their loyalty also changed. Jesus sometimes asks us to change our
profession, our loyalty, our place of work, and start all over again.
Isn't this what
happened to Jesus yesterday? He left his home town of Nazareth, never to return
to it. He left his old profession as carpenter; he left his mother as the
person of his loyalty. Now, he obeys his Father in heaven, whose voice said
publicly: this is my beloved Son! All this means that what happens to us happened
to Jesus. If you watch hour life closely, you too will discover that whatever
happens to you, happened to Jesus. Or better, that whatever happened to Jesus
happens to you. If it has not yet happened, it will sooner or later.
In other words,
let us be open and approach each day as an opportunity for another learning
experience. Our minds be alert for something new; our attitudes be expectant.
Success has less to do with possessing natural talent and more to do with
ceasing new opportunities as they come.
Jesus said,
"Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men!"
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