The Call

In this Sunday's Liturgy, we will hear in the Gospel that Jesus, while walking along the sea of Galilee calls Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, as well as the sons of Zebedee, James and John. Jesus called them while they were doing something important -- fishing, their means of livelihood, the "craft" they are good at. And as the Gospel continues, these four men heeded the call and invitation of Jesus to leave their nets and become Fishers of Men instead.

Jesus calls us, and He calls us in the midst of our busy days. He seems to tell us that there is something more important than the thing you are doing (profession, career, etc...); there is something more valuable than the ones you are holding ("nets" of our wealth and preferences); there is Someone more worthwhile to be with than the persons you consider so special in your life. Dear friends, Jesus calls us not so much as to deprive us of the things, activities, and persons we hold dear in our hearts. He precisely calls us so that we can understand the true meaning and worth of those that we hold dear.

We pray then that we be given the grace to respond to Jesus' call. It is the call for transcendence; it is the call for growth. Amen.