GOSPEL READING:
Matthew 4:18-2218 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Meditation: What is God's call on your life and are you
ready to respond? When Jesus began his ministry he went every
where he could - the streets, towns, hills and lakeside of Galilee
- to speak to people about the kingdom of God. He chose as his
closest friends and coworkers those who were ready to follow as
his disciples and he gave them an unusual mission - "to catch
people for the kingdom of God."
Jesus chooses ordinary people to do great things for his
kingdom
What kind of disciples did Jesus choose? Smelly fishermen! In the
choice of the first apostles we see a characteristic feature of
Jesus' work - he chose very ordinary people. They were
non-professionals, had no wealth or position of power or fame in
society. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary
things, had no special marks of education, and no social
advantages. Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an
assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these
individuals, not for what they were, but for what they would
become under his direction and the power of the Holy Spirit.
When the Lord Jesus calls each of us to be his disciples, we must
not think we have nothing to offer him in exchange. The Lord takes
what ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness
in his kingdom. Do you believe that God wants to work in and
through you for his glory?
Jesus calls each of us to bring the joy of the Gospel to
those around us
Jesus speaks the same message to us today: we will "catch people"
for the kingdom of God if we allow the light of Jesus Christ to
shine through us. God wants others to see the light of Christ in
us in the way we live, speak, and witness the joy of the Gospel.
Paul the Apostles says, "But thanks be to God, who in Christ Jesus
always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance
of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ
to God among those who are being saved and among those who are
perishing" (2 Corinthians 2:15). Do you show others around you the
joy of the gospel and do you pray for your neighbors, co-workers,
and relatives that they may come to personally know the Lord Jesus
Christ and grow in the knowledge of his love?
Lord Jesus, you have called me personally by name, just as you called your first disciples, Simon, Andrew, and James. Fill me with the joy of your gospel and help me to be a good and faithful witness of your kingdom to all I meet.
Psalm 19:7-10
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Jesus chooses them for what they can become, by an anonymous early author from the Greek church
"'Before he says or does anything, he calls the apostles so nothing
may be concealed from them as to Christ's words or works and they
may later say in confidence: 'For we cannot but speak of what we
have seen and heard' (Acts 4:20). He sees them not bodily but
spiritually, regarding not their appearance but their hearts. And he
chooses them not as apostles but because they could become apostles.
Just as an artist who sees precious, and not rough-hewn, stones
chooses them - not because of what they are but because of what they
can become. Like the sensitive artist who does not spurn the
unshaped good - so too the Lord, upon seeing them, does not choose
their works but their hearts." (excerpt from INCOMPLETE
WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 7, the Greek fathers).
