Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
I recently returned from a mission trip with a group of UD students. Many of them were upperclassmen in the throes of discerning what they were going to do when they finished college. During one of our times of group reflection, one of the young men of the group astutely commented about the importance of living in the present moment instead of being so consumed by future planning.
This insightful suggestion came to mind as I read today’s gospel passage. Jesus calls his disciples to come and follow Him. They respond immediately and without hesitation about what the future might hold. Each of us receives a call from Christ every day, in fact every minute of our day. We are all called to listen and respond in the here and now, so we can be like the disciples and be daily “fishers of men.”
In today’s reading, Jesus walks along the Sea of Galilee and calls by name Simon, Andrew, James and John. They all immediately leave family and possessions on the shoreline in response to Jesus’ call. They don’t make excuses like “I can’t go now- who will care for my family? Or, how do you expect me to be a fisher of men?” They leave their nets and follow Jesus. As Jesus proclaims the Gospel of God He says, “THIS is the time of fulfillment.” There is an urgency or immediacy to his teachings and the response He requires. The apostles do not know what lies ahead for them as they journey with Jesus, but because they were able to hear the call and respond in the here and now, they made themselves available for all that Jesus has planned for them during His ministry.
Living a life of faith in the here and now requires trust and practice. I don’t believe that Jesus wants us to completely neglect being mindful of future planning. In the world that we live in some forward thinking is required. However, if we become so possessed about upcoming events and decisions, we may fail to hear and recognize God speaking to us in the present moment. This lack of truly being present in the here and now may prevent us from hearing God’s urging about how He is directing us for these upcoming events. Being mindful of Christ’s call throughout our day requires discernment that comes from prayer, scripture, sacrament, and our faith community. Answering the call also requires a consistent awareness of how God might be speaking in the present moment. Finally, we must have trust in God that He will lead us in right ways even when we do not know what the future holds.
Although it may not be quite as dramatic as the call of the apostles, I believe that each of us is invited to respond to the call of Jesus throughout our daily lives. Every situation we encounter is an opportunity to say “yes” to what God wants us to do. As St. Catherine of Siena says, “To the servant of God... every place is the right place, and every time is the right time.” Through our words and actions we are called to follow Jesus in how He shows us to live. If we are able to live in this way, other people will see Christ in us and hopefully they will also hear the call. If we live our lives actively seeking and doing God’s will, then we can be like the apostles and be “fishers of men” for Christ.
Heavenly Father, You send your Son Jesus to bring us Your Good News. With the grace of Your Spirit help us to hear Jesus call us in the daily moments of our lives. May the Holy Spirit give us the wisdom and courage that we need to respond, so that we can be like Your Son and bring the Kingdom of God to all peoples. We pray this through Christ our LORD. Amen
- Marylynn Herchline