The scripture readings for this reflection can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/012620.cfm
Last year Pope Francis declared that the Third Sunday in Ordinary time be set aside as “Sunday of the Word of God.” In his comments about this day, he mentioned the importance of having reverence for Scripture. He indicated that scripture is how we can hear God calling us and speaking to us. It is through the prayerful reading of Scripture that we can develop that faith in God and that relationship with Him. This is how we can hear God’s call to us.
In our gospel for today we hear of Jesus calling Peter, Andrew, James and John to come and follow him. It appears that they just dropped everything to follow Jesus. I can only imagine what Zebedee, James and John’s father, must have felt when they just dropped what they were doing to follow Jesus. I’m sure Zebedee had a few choice words to say to them as they followed Jesus away from the boat.
This is Matthew’s way of emphasizing the dramatic nature of God’s call. Matthew wants us to realize that they didn’t simply leave their nets out of boredom and being discontent with the familiar. This event was a moment of epiphany.
What was so special about Jesus that they would so dramatically leave their familiar lives behind and to go and follow him? I’m sure they must have seen and heard Jesus going all throughout Galilee preaching about repentance and encouraging people to develop that closer relationship with God. And before Jesus, they heard of John the Baptist preaching about repentance and turning away from sin. As we heard in last weeks gospel, John was pointing to Jesus and saying, “Behold the lamb of God.”
Further, I’m sure these first followers of Jesus would have spent time in the synagogue on the sabbath listening to the proclamation of the Word of God in Scripture. They were devout Jews awaiting and hoping for the Messiah to come. Then along comes Jesus preaching about repentance and healing the sick! By their being open to God through their reading of scripture, they were able to feel God’s prompting to follow Jesus to a new and totally different way of life.
How is God prompting us to live and follow Jesus to a new and totally different life? The apostles prayed and studied scripture each week at the synagogue. They realized that they must be open to God’s call through prayerful reflection on scripture. They were so open to the word of God that they weren’t afraid to leave behind their familiar way of life for something better.
The charism of Jesus draws them in, they perceive that what he is asking is a new and better way. Jesus seems to have a sense of authority in which his invitation comes to them from God.
As Jesus called the early apostles to a new and better way of life, He is calling each one of us to that way of life. We just need to be open to it and find that call that God has for each one of us. That new and better way of life is that of not only loving God and having that peace that can only come from Him but living a life of service to those that surround us: our family and friends.
By our regular reading of scripture each week, we are called to be open to God’s call through Jesus Christ. We need to make time to read and study scripture in order to hear what He is calling us to do in our lives in our relationships with God. It may be something totally unexpected, as it was for Peter, Andrew, James and John, or it may be just a way of better serving God through our family members.
The apostles were brave enough to leave behind those things in their lives that kept them from following God fully. What is holding us back from following Jesus completely? What are the people and relationships in our lives that distance and separate us from Christ? Other things that keep us from following Christ completely is gossip, cutting corners, immoral behavior, habits of arrogance, rash judgements and addictions! We need to leave these behind in order to follow Christ in peace and contentment.
The reign of God is open to all of us, if we are willing to risk a new way of living and to the commitment of Jesus Christ.
Today’s Gospel suggests that a relationship with Jesus Christ comes from deep within, where he waits for us. Take the leap to enter the heart of God, who abides within you.
In a few minutes we will approach the altar. Let us prepare to meet Christ who invites us to leave behind everything that we are comfortable with in order to develop that closer relationship with Him.
Beautiful reflection! Reading Scripture & reading the people & circumstances of our lives are the guides to teach us what to do. Often, as St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta taught us, we need to begin with the person in front of us. Some of us may be called by God to go far away to a literal Calcutta, as was St. Mother Teresa, while most of us are called to the little Calcutta in our own families & work.
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