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, 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. He recognized that when that happened our only concern would be our relationship with God, since it is only that which endures forever.
It was this sense of urgency that would drive the saints to pray for hours on end, it was this sense of urgency that caused simple fishermen to give up the only thing they knew in order to follow Jesus.
They didn’t hesitate, they didn’t even say goodbye, they simply abandoned their nets, left their father in a boat, and left. Perhaps, they knew or they saw something that was more important than what they were doing, either way, their perspective was completely changed in an instant and their lives transformed, as a result.
Yet, it wasn’t simply a call to follow Him, it was more intimate than that, it was a call to “come after Him,” to live above and beyond the person calling them, which is impossible, but also to imitate Him, which is possible. He is telling them that by accepting His call, they are to live as He lives, to suffer as He suffers, and to embrace the Will of the Father as He does in the Garden and at the foot of the Cross.
Perhaps, they didn’t know the ramifications of their consent, but, even so, it didn’t stop them from dropping everything, from abandoning their nets and their father and leaving it all behind. Because they saw something in Him, they desired something more than being fisherman and they wanted to be something more, which is why, for whatever reason, they knew in their hearts that this person calling them was more than just some man, they knew that He could provide what they were looking for and they were willing to take that chance to find what only He could provide.
Yet, at heart, that is the nature of any call from God, He doesn’t wait, He doesn’t find the appropriate time, He calls when He needs us, and He expects a timely answer. Ultimately, He asks us if we are willing to take the chance that He is providing us, if we are willing to do what He asks in spite of ourselves, knowing that the road may seem dark but that He will be there as our guide.
In fact, that was Jonah in our first reading, and while it doesn’t mention it explicitly here, he was a reluctant prophet; never sure he was worthy of the call, and never knowing whether what he did or said made any difference. Yet, it made all the difference in the world, because not only did Nineveh heed his warning, they repented of their ways and the city was saved by this reluctant prophet.
While he didn’t know the effect he would have on a single city, God knew, and while those First Apostles didn’t know what was in store for them, what would happen if they embraced a life in imitation of Christ, God knew, and, ultimately, that is the point, God calls each and every one us to holiness, exactly where we are right now.
Which is why He asks us, as He did them, to live with this same sense of urgency, 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 single week, every single day, every single moment of our lives. Because that is what true repentance is, that is what it means to believe in the Gospel.
And by doing so, our faith then becomes more than just something we profess, it becomes something we live, and each day becomes an opportunity to be transformed, each day becomes 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, this past Friday people from all across the United States and beyond gathered in our nation’s capital to March For Life.
And though you may have heard little to nothing about it in the news, despite the president and vice president addressing the nation, countless people, hundreds upon hundreds to perhaps thousands filled 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.
And they did so, 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. In fact, we need only pick up a newspaper or turn on a TV to see this to be the case.
Because, ultimately, at the end of the day, to bring the Kingdom is to evangelize, by our words and by our actions, it literally, means we become fishers of men. Throwing the net far and wide in order to, urgently, fearlessly and happily share our faith. So that from pulpit to podium to public square, Christ’s message is always heard, His message to repent, to believe, and indeed, to follow.
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. He recognized that when that happened our only concern would be our relationship with God, since it is only that which endures forever.
It was this sense of urgency that would drive the saints to pray for hours on end, it was this sense of urgency that caused simple fishermen to give up the only thing they knew in order to follow Jesus.
They didn’t hesitate, they didn’t even say goodbye, they simply abandoned their nets, left their father in a boat, and left. Perhaps, they knew or they saw something that was more important than what they were doing, either way, their perspective was completely changed in an instant and their lives transformed, as a result.
Yet, it wasn’t simply a call to follow Him, it was more intimate than that, it was a call to “come after Him,” to live above and beyond the person calling them, which is impossible, but also to imitate Him, which is possible. He is telling them that by accepting His call, they are to live as He lives, to suffer as He suffers, and to embrace the Will of the Father as He does in the Garden and at the foot of the Cross.
Perhaps, they didn’t know the ramifications of their consent, but, even so, it didn’t stop them from dropping everything, from abandoning their nets and their father and leaving it all behind. Because they saw something in Him, they desired something more than being fisherman and they wanted to be something more, which is why, for whatever reason, they knew in their hearts that this person calling them was more than just some man, they knew that He could provide what they were looking for and they were willing to take that chance to find what only He could provide.
Yet, at heart, that is the nature of any call from God, He doesn’t wait, He doesn’t find the appropriate time, He calls when He needs us, and He expects a timely answer. Ultimately, He asks us if we are willing to take the chance that He is providing us, if we are willing to do what He asks in spite of ourselves, knowing that the road may seem dark but that He will be there as our guide.
In fact, that was Jonah in our first reading, and while it doesn’t mention it explicitly here, he was a reluctant prophet; never sure he was worthy of the call, and never knowing whether what he did or said made any difference. Yet, it made all the difference in the world, because not only did Nineveh heed his warning, they repented of their ways and the city was saved by this reluctant prophet.
While he didn’t know the effect he would have on a single city, God knew, and while those First Apostles didn’t know what was in store for them, what would happen if they embraced a life in imitation of Christ, God knew, and, ultimately, that is the point, God calls each and every one us to holiness, exactly where we are right now.
Which is why He asks us, as He did them, to live with this same sense of urgency, 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 single week, every single day, every single moment of our lives. Because that is what true repentance is, that is what it means to believe in the Gospel.
And by doing so, our faith then becomes more than just something we profess, it becomes something we live, and each day becomes an opportunity to be transformed, each day becomes 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, this past Friday people from all across the United States and beyond gathered in our nation’s capital to March For Life.
And though you may have heard little to nothing about it in the news, despite the president and vice president addressing the nation, countless people, hundreds upon hundreds to perhaps thousands filled 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.
And they did so, 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. In fact, we need only pick up a newspaper or turn on a TV to see this to be the case.
Because, ultimately, at the end of the day, to bring the Kingdom is to evangelize, by our words and by our actions, it literally, means we become fishers of men. Throwing the net far and wide in order to, urgently, fearlessly and happily share our faith. So that from pulpit to podium to public square, Christ’s message is always heard, His message to repent, to believe, and indeed, to follow.
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