If all of us knew that in one week the world would end, what would we do differently? How would we live for that one week? Would we pray more? Would we do more for others? Would our perspective on life change? Would we finally, if we hadn’t already, in the words of our Gospel: “repent and believe in the gospel?”

In our readings today, this was always the constant concern, that at a time we were unaware of, in the words of St. Paul from our second reading, “the world in its present form [would] pass away.”

In fact, if it seems as if St. Paul is being a little extreme it is because he believed that the end was imminent and that, in comparison, struggles and worldly concerns would matter very little at that point. That our only concern would be our relationship with God, since it is only that which endures forever.

Yet, this sense of urgency is the same that would drive the saints to pray for hours on end, this sense of urgency is the same that caused simple fishermen to give up the only thing they knew in order to follow Jesus.

For, they did not even hesitate, they abandoned their nets and left their father in a boat, because they knew or they saw something that was more important than what they were doing, their perspective was completely changed in an instant and their lives were transformed, as a result.

It is with this same sense of urgency that we, too, are called to live as well, to live each day with the reality that the Kingdom of God is at hand and that all of us have a responsibility to usher it in.

To recognize that we don’t have to wait until the end is imminent, but to live that way every week, every day, every moment of our lives. That is what true repentance is, that is what it means to believe in the Gospel.

Knowing that our faith is to become more than just something we profess, but something we live and that each day is an opportunity to be transformed, each day is an opportunity to bring that Gospel to those who need it most, and to speak on behalf of those who have no voice of their own.

In fact, that is why this weekend, people from all across the United States will gather in our nation’s capital to March For Life on Monday.

For, though you will hear little if not anything at all in the news, countless people, hundreds upon hundreds to perhaps thousands will fill the streets, signs in hand, singing, praying and marching to try to make a difference in our nation, in our world, and to bring, that much closer, the Kingdom of God within our midst.

Because, if there was a sense of urgency in the days of the Bible, that sense has only grown more and more, especially in this day and age. We need only pick up a newspaper or turn on a TV to see this to be the case.

That is why, ultimately, to bring the Kingdom is to evangelize, by word and action, to, literally, become fishermen. To throw the net far and wide and to, urgently, fearlessly and happily share our faith, to live our faith. So that from pulpit to podium to public square, Christ’s message is always heard, His message to repent, to believe, to follow.