God's call

Jesus begins his ministry by proclaiming the “good news” of the gospel, which is that “the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near” (Mark 1:15). Consider also that Mark portrays Jesus' proclamation of the kingdom coming not only as a gift ("good news"), but also with a demand ("repent").

As far as we know, every one of the disciples was chosen and called personally by Jesus. We believe that God calls each one of us. God not only calls us to follow Jesus, but also calls us into the fields and careers of our lives. We often speak of “God’s call” too narrowly, as if God “calls” people only into ordained ministry. That is true: God calls people to be pastors and church workers. But God’s call is not limited to clergy. God calls every single one of us.

God’s call is always into an uncertain future. When we enter into our callings, we have no idea how it will all end up. We choose our careers and jobs hoping that we can use the gifts and talents God has given us, but there are no guarantees.

Still, we must not overlook that the one who promises the kingdom to sinners is the same one who calls sinners to repentance and who calls disciples to give up all that they must follow him. To put it in Pauline terms, Christ is my life (cf. Philippians 1:21); my life is a total gift from him. Therefore, I must also be willing and prepared to forfeit everything for him. Since in Jesus everything is given to me, in Jesus everything is demanded of me. The four disciples' willingness to throw in their lot completely with Jesus illustrates that attitude. Am I ready to accept Jesus' call to be a disciple? This is your meditation question for today.

Blessings

Fr. Luis