Readings: 1: 1-8; Psalm 116; Mk 1:14-20 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “follow me and I will make you fishers of people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him (Mk 1:16-18) Christmas season is now completed and we enter into the First Week in Ordinary Time. It’s time to return to the “ordinary” of life. But is the Christian life ordinary? Is there anything truly “ordinary” about following Jesus?Today’s Gospel reveals the extraordinary and radical call from Jesus to follow Him. Simon and Andrew are the two who respond to the call in this passage, but their response is also an invitation to all of us to step out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary.
This passage reveals two things: 1) the immediate response of these Apostles; 2) their complete response. They clearly did not hesitate in responding to the invitation from Jesus to follow Him.
Do you hear Jesus calling at all? Do you hear Him speak to you, calling you to come after Him? Hopefully, as our Lord speaks to each one of us, we will respond immediately and in a complete way. Hopefully we will not hesitate to embrace the glorious calling we each have been given as true Christians.
As all people are different, the calls are unique to each one of us. The question is: are we open enough to hear His call and moderately discern and comply with the call we hear in our own hearts every day? Life is good, but there are many ways of how we may respond personally to His generous call.
As you begin this liturgical season of Ordinary Time, jump into the extraordinary life of grace and embrace it with your whole heart.