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Gospel: Mark 1: 14-20
After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Above my desk where I pray each morning, there’s a large watercolor wrapped in a gold frame. There’s only one object painted in the picture: a small empty boat anchored in the water.
It moves something deep inside of me because it not only reminds me of the scene unfolding in today’s Gospel, when four of the Apostles drop their nets and follow Jesus; it also reminds me of the moment when I did the same.
I remember vividly sitting on the beach on a warm summer’s night saying, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you.” Shortly thereafter, I entered the seminary. All these years later, here we are.
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I’m sure some of you have had a similar experience – a moment of conversion, a leap of faith, a time when your relationship with Jesus became intensely personal. Such moments are seared into our memory.
When John describes that moment when Jesus called him and the others, he includes a particular detail: “It was about four o’clock in the afternoon,” as if to say it was a precise moment that forever changed their lives.
This was the beginning of their journey.
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There are several lessons we can learn from the Apostles’ initial moment of following the Lord.
When the Lord speaks, there’s an urgency to respond. It’s an appointed time; there’s an abundance of grace offered. Think of the angel Gabriel waiting for Mary to say, “Yes.”
She didn’t say, “Gabe, let me get back to you after the wedding.” Or, “Let me talk with Joseph first.” After her brief dialogue with the angel, she immediately said, “Let it be done unto me according to your word.”
As did the Apostles.
Mark tells us, when Jesus passed by, immediately they dropped their nets and followed him. James and John even left their father, Zebedee, standing in the boat. There was no time for them to say farewell; no time to return home and pack; no time to second guess.
When the Lord calls, we are compelled to answer. In the words of Samuel, “Here I am, LORD, I come to do your will.”
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That’s often all the Lord reveals in the invitation to follow him – “Come and see.” We cannot peer into the future, because we might become overwhelmed, afraid, second guess, or even run away.
Jesus knew the shadow of the Cross loomed over all of them. In fact, ten of the Twelve Apostles will be martyred for their faith! Peter and his brother Andrew will be crucified. Yet they will also change the course of history, sharing the Gospel with the world.
Had the Apostles known all they would have to endure – from mistreatment and imprisonment to breaking ground as missionaries – would they still have said, “Yes”? Might they have second guessed themselves? Or questioned God’s plans?
Perhaps the weight of such knowledge and responsibility – for Peter, in particular – would’ve been overwhelming. As the Lord says elsewhere, “Do not worry about tomorrow, sufficient for a day are its own troubles.”
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Have you ever wondered why the Lord choose these men, in particular?
God alone knows every reason, but one thing is clear: Jesus chose ordinary people to be the foundation of his Church because Gospel work is for everyone, not a select few.
While the Lord asked the Apostles to part with their families, their nets, and their boat, he did not ask them to part with their identity. Jesus uses their skills and past experience as fishermen to make them, “fishers of men.”
So it is with us. God gives each of us unique talents and experiences, which are not only meant for worldly pursuits, but also to be put in the service of the Gospel.
Rarely does the Lord does demand a total abandonment of our family, finances, or future in order to follow him; most of us are called to do his will in ordinary ways – at home as parents, at work as colleagues, as co-workers in the vineyard of the world.
But, what does it mean for you when Jesus says, “Follow me”? How do you see yourself using your skills and experience to contribute to the mission of the Church?
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Above my desk where I pray each morning, there’s a large watercolor depicting a small empty boat anchored in the water. Whoever parted from it must’ve had no idea what their future held.
It’s a reminder to me that we’re all called to drop our nets – to leave our self behind – and follow Jesus, each in our own way.
What does it mean for you?
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Image credits: (1) Miraculous Draught of Fishes, Raphael (2) Watercolor Painting of a Landscape with a Wooden Boat on the River Covered with Fog, Amazon.com (3) Jeremiah’s Call Ministries