Reading I: Isaiah 8:23 – 9:3
Reading II: 1 Corinthian 1:10-13, 17
GOSPEL: Matthew 4:12-23
Fishing: Top Priority?
When I was a young boy, my uncle tried to teach me the art of fishing. I didn’t get it. I would watch him and see the excitement on his face, but I just didn’t know why. For me, fishing was almost as exciting as watching the grass grow or paint dry. But I do know that there are plenty of people who love to fish. They watch and wait and finally they get “the catch.” Fishing is a great analogy for this weekend’s readings.
Let’s start with the fishermen. Think of the trust that Simon, Andrew, James and John shared in Jesus. They don’t question the mission or ask for a feasibility study. They don’t even ask about a benefits package or other incentives. They simply drop their nets at once and follow him.
Following Jesus isn’t always easy. Simon, Andrew, James, and John obviously saw something in Jesus that we can’t see or understand simply by reading the passage in scripture. There must be more to the story. Jesus must have demonstrated something to these men. Something so awesome that fishing and other things, which had seemed so important to them before, suddenly seemed not as important after all. These men saw something in Jesus that made them choose to change their priorities.
Priority Shift
Think of the major events that can change our lives: marriage, divorce, birth, death (or any event that causes a scriptural “awakening” in us). One thing to keep in mind is that God doesn’t make these things happen to us. And it is not the event, in and of itself, that changes us. What does change us is how we respond to such events. We all will experience major events like these in our lives, but our responses to them are what makes all the difference. How we respond to the events of life shapes our spiritual self.
Jesus can help us change our priorities. He can do it for anyone. Sometimes Jesus will cause our priorities to change when we reflect on our lives. Perhaps there is an experience we recognize later as being a “wakeup call.” Other times, something happens that simply disrupts everything. We are forced to reflect on our priorities – forced to consider changing them.
Responding to the Call
Imagine if the Gospel sounded different. Picture this: Jesus approaches the four men and says to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” The men look him up and down, and refuse to drop their nets and follow him. When Jesus repeats his directive, the men respond by telling him where to go and what to do when he gets there!
A bit extreme – but the point is this: Jesus could have acted the same, but if Simon, Andrew, James, and John had responded differently, then everything would have been different.
It is our response to the call that makes all the difference.
Jesus calls us today – just as he called the four men in today’s scripture. Will we respond the same way the fishermen responded? Or are we too wrapped-up in our own things? Is there so much happening that we won’t even stop and respond to his call?
Let us watch and listen to all that is happening in our lives. When events do happen, let us pray that we have the vision and the will to respond to Jesus’ call to follow him more closely – and more completely – than ever before.
Life Application
Has there been a time in your life when your priorities changed?
What do you think caused the four fishermen to drop everything and follow Jesus?
How are you responding to Jesus? In what way are you still hesitating?
Check out the REAL Word Podcast for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A):
Original article by Dcn. Jim Corder, 2002-2023.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.