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 left 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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A few years ago, I spent the summer volunteering at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal.
One morning I saw a blind priest shuffle in for Mass. He was old and frail, escorted in by a young man leading him to the altar.
“This will be interesting,” I thought. “How is this priest going to celebrate Mass? He can’t see the prayers!”
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But when he got to the altar, he kissed it, then grabbed an old tape player next to him. As he put the headphones on and started listening, I realized the prayers had been recorded.
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” he began.
That young man who ushered the priest in for Mass recorded the prayers for him each morning.
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It was the essence of friendship, a reminder that no one can make it through life alone.
We all need someone who we can rely upon; someone to share our joys and shoulder our burdens.
It’s partly why Jesus chooses Peter, James, Andrew and John in today’s Gospel.
He’s beginning his three-year ministry, but before he gets too far, even Jesus knows he’ll need a friend or two along the way.
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As it’s written in the Book of Sirach, “A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds it finds a treasure.”
It was true for Jesus. It was true for an old, blind priest. And it’s true for us.
Faithful friends are a sturdy shelter; they shoulder our burdens and lift our spirits.
Who is such a friend for me? And how can I be that friend for others today?
This is what John the Baptist proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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This might sound a bit strange, but close your eyes and take a deep breath.
Keep your eyes closed, and exhale.
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I want you to imagine you’re standing in the middle of a river.
You know this river has a beginning and an end, but you’re not at either place; you’re standing somewhere in between.
Listen to the water trickle, flowing peacefully downstream.
If you follow the current, you’ll see a series of twists and turns in the river’s path.
In spite of the twists, the turns, the rocks, and the brush, the river finds a way to flow forward, never stopping until it reaches its final destination.
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If your eyes are still closed, now open them.
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Perhaps this image of a river is an appropriate image for our own lives.
Like that river, we’re neither at the beginning nor the end; we’re all standing somewhere in between.
And in spite of the many obstacles we face – the twists, the turns, the rocks, the brush – we, too, must find a way to move forward.
So, what are the rocks in my river, the obstacles in my path?
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Perhaps it’s the stress caused by COVID; unemployment; difficulties in marriage; grief; or uncertainty about the future.
When life is difficult – when we run up against a rock – who do we turn to?
Perhaps we rely upon ourselves, a trusted friend, or a spouse.
More importantly, do we also rely upon God?
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In the Gospel, Jesus has reached one of the most important turns in the river of his life.
Ninety percent of his life has already been written, spent quietly in Nazareth. But now everything is changing.
Jesus’ baptism marks the beginning of his public ministry. After performing a miracle or two, he’ll become a type of celebrity, having to wrestle with all the temptations that come along with being desired.
In order to successfully navigate the remaining twists and turns of his life, Jesus knows he must continue turning to his heavenly Father daily for strength.
Immediately after his baptism, Jesus retreats into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights, preparing his mind and heart for the turns ahead.
The Gospels continue to paint a picture of a prayerful Jesus until the very end of his life, when from the Cross he cries out, “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.”
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Herein lies an important reminder for us: If Jesus prayed daily throughout the river of his life, then how much more should we?
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Too often prayer can be written off as something that only priests, nuns, or “holy” people do. But Jesus says, “I have given all of you an example to follow.”
For example, when grief strikes, we must pray. When we question our future, we must pray. When we need wisdom, we must pray. When a door opens or a door closes, we must pray.
Prayer – and when possible, Eucharist – is our daily bread.
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So, what is my prayer life like?
Is it strong and deep like a river? Shallower like a stream? Or, even dried up like a creek in the sun?
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It’s not too late to make a New Year’s resolution: to spend more time with God.
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Each person’s prayer life will be different.
For example, I pray for an hour every morning. I light a tea candle, put on soft music, and begin sharing my heart with the Lord – whatever needs or concerns I have for that day.
With what time is left, I either journal, write an entry for my blog, pray the Psalms, or just sit in silence.
Most adults don’t have that kind of time. But you can do something similar: journal; pray the rosary; sit in silence; read the bible or even the “God minute” I post daily online.
That’s all prayer is: sharing our heart with our Father.
The result should always be the same. Prayer deepens our sense of inner peace, it softens our heart towards God and our neighbor, and it enlightens the path before us.
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We’ve now reached 2021, another bend in the river of our lives. Though we don’t know what lies ahead, we do know that our heavenly Father will guide us, just as he guided Jesus.
Perhaps it’s appropriate, then, to end with a prayer. Take another deep breath and close your eyes once again:
Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning seeking your strength, guidance, and peace in 2021. The river of life is full of obstacles – brush, twigs, and rocks – that challenge our path. Soften our hearts to your will. Guide us through the many twists and turns that lie ahead, just as you guided your Son, Jesus, so that one day we may join Him and all who’ve flowed before us into your kingdom, where you live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
Beloved, we love God because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from him: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the Father loves also the one begotten by him. In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.
The word of the Lord.
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“Whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen,” John says in our first reading.
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It seems like a simple idea: love your God by loving your neighbor.
What makes this commandment difficult, however, is defining who our neighbor is.
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I’ve always been drawn to the Missionaries of Charity, a religious order founded by Mother Teresa.
They’ve inspired millions around the world because of who they consider their neighbor to be:
The addict. The homeless. The hungry. The infected. The poorest of the poor.
In a word, the loser.
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This is what Jesus asks of us, to see his face behind every person, especially those who are down on their luck, or who struggle to love themselves.
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Who is someone I struggle to love? Or, how can I expand my view of my neighbor?
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With God’s grace, may we see them in a different light today.
“For whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
