Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time – Mark 1:14-20
Today in the Church, we return to Ordinary Time. After the quiet tone of Advent, the celebration of Christmas and the beginning of a new year, it can be very relaxing to settle back into Ordinary Time. According to the Church calendar, this is what we do today: we move back into Ordinary Time!
The setting for today’s Gospel takes place immediately after John was arrested. Jesus is in Galilee proclaiming the Gospel. He announces to the people that the Kingdom of God is near. He preaches repentance to the people.
Today Jesus also calls his first apostles: Simon and his brother, Andrew. As we know, Simon and Andrew by trade were fishermen. Jesus is walking along the Sea of Galilee and he saw Simon and Andrew as they were casting their nets into the sea. Jesus simply and quietly says: “Come. Follow me.” A bit later, he also calls James and his brother John. They also immediately drop their nets and follow Jesus.
What was it about this man Jesus that enticed these hardworking fishermen to leave their livelihood, families and homes to immediately follow Jesus? Was it His charisma? Was it the message He was preaching? Or was it a call from deep within?
Today Jesus is calling us just as He called His first apostles. What will our response be? Will we tell Jesus that “now” is not a good time? Will we give Him all the reasons why we can’t pick up and follow Him? Or will we place our hope and trust in Jesus as these first disciples did? Will we eagerly follow Him? I pray we will!
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