Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
All of us at one time or another have probably looked up at the moon on a quiet, clear, starry night and reflected on the beauty of the moon. It's a captivating moment to witness something so beautiful, even when our vantage point is approximately 238,900 miles away. We can all share in that experience. Interestingly, only twelve people have ever walked on the moon. The vantage point from which these twelve men observed the moon and the earth below is unique and personal and has obviously been shared by very few. We've probably thought about what it would be like to walk on the moon. Would we be scared? Would we feel vulnerable? Neil Armstrong, the first man who ever walked on the moon said this about his lunar experience: "It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small."
Today's readings offer two unique, complementary vantage points of the person of Jesus. In the first reading from Hebrews, we are given a somewhat cosmological, "big picture" view of Christ. Jesus is described as the "heir of all things" and the Son of God through whom God created the entire universe. We read that, "When He had accomplished purification from sins, He took His seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, as far superior to the angels." The language and imagery used by the author of Hebrews is extremely beautiful and offers a fantastic perspective of the life of Jesus with respect to creation, the incarnation, and His work of salvation. Based on the exultation of Jesus as described in Hebrews, we can metaphorically stand back and look upon the life of Jesus Christ from about 2000 years away and be captivated by the beauty.
Today's Gospel from the first chapter of Mark refers to a different vantage point. Just as only twelve men have ever walked upon the moon, the experience of the twelve apostles during the ministry of Jesus was obviously unique and special. The twelve apostles received the fullness of revelation because Jesus Himself is the fullness of revelation. (Hebrews 1:1-2) In today's Gospel we read about the calling of the first apostles, Simon and his brother Andrew and James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Their invitation to "Come after me" was personal and required repentance and radical change. Their unique perspective and personal experience of Jesus takes away nothing from our own personal encounter of Jesus. On the contrary, just as Neil Armstrong offered so much to humanity through his experience, the intimate and personal relationship that the twelve apostles had with Christ has offered us a great deal- the fullness of the Gospel. It is through their first witness that we can, in a way, share in that experience and in that same intimacy. We ask ourselves if we would have responded as they responded. Would we have been scared? Would we have felt vulnerable? What if Jesus had called us? In truth, He has! Speaking for myself, I would imagine that standing in the presence of Jesus I would be humbled and perhaps echo the words of Neil Armstrong and confess, "I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small."
There is still another vantage point from which the person of Jesus can be observed- our very lives. In preaching the Gospel, the twelve apostles were to communicate the gifts of God to all men. (CCC 75) Today, may we generously respond to this Gospel that we have received and use the gifts of God to build the Kingdom of God here on earth. May others see Jesus in us. Amen.
-Ryan J. Mahle