Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr Dominic’s Homily

Simon, Andrew James and John were fishermen. They had probably grown up watching their Fathers and grandfathers on the boats and had themselves been doing the job for many years and so had plenty of time to think about other things whilst mending their nets.

Last week we heard that they had risked spending a day with Jesus after asking who he was and where he lived. So they now knew a lot more about him and saw him as the messiah they had been waiting for.

As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee he saw them and called them. He said “Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.” There is no mention of any discussions, questions or good-byes. They simply “left… and followed him.”

Just imagine if it was us today we may have many questions like:

• Where are we going? What is involved exactly?

• Is it safe? How long will we be gone?

• What do I need to take? Where will we stay?

• And how much is all this going to cost?

And we would need three months’ notice to get ready!

But this calling from Jesus is not the type of journey you can prepare for. This is an inner journey, a journey into the deepest part of our being. It’s not about planning and organizing, making lists, or packing. It’s a journey that involves severing connections and leaving things behind.

Sometimes we can be good at accumulating possessions and clinging on to things but not so good at letting go. Spiritual growth always involves some kind of letting go. In order to really reach a new place in our lives we may have to risk leaving where we currently are.

If we want to progress in our spiritual lives maybe we need to ask:

• What are the nets that perhaps are entangling us?

• What are the little boats that perhaps contain our lives?

• Do we need to move to see things from a different viewpoint?

• From whom we seek too much identity, value, or approval?

• What do we need to let go of and leave behind to follow Jesus?

And how do we respond? Do we run in the opposite direction like Jonah in the first reading? Or do we behave more like Samuel in the reading last week when he says “Speak Lord your servant is listening”

We must have a sense of letting go so that our life may be reordered, so that we can now travel in new direction and so that we may be open to receive the life of God. Sometimes it’s only when we let go completely that our lives can be transformed. In order to gain everything we must first lose everything. Another paradox of the spiritual life.

Jesus told them they would still be fishermen. But now they would fish for people. In other words they wouldn’t become something they weren’t already, but they would be changed. They would become transformed fishermen. They would become more authentically be who they already were. God uses our gifts but transforms them.

Ultimately, it’s all about letting go of our lives so that we can receive God’s life. That’s how we become more authentically ourselves.

In the choice of the first apostles we see Jesus chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, had no status, or position. They were chosen from people who had no special education.

But he chose these individuals, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming under his direction and power.

When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not think we have nothing to offer. That’s just an excuse. The Lord takes what we can offer and enhances it and uses it for his kingdom. We take a risk.

And what is the kingdom of God? It’s more than a just a territory or an area of land. It’s more than anything we can imagine.

Notice that Jesus called his first disciples directly from their workplaces. This is a little reminder that there is a greater purpose in life beyond our careers. We must get our priorities right. Jesus must come first.

And this call of Jesus is not simply a call made to a few Jewish men 2,000 years ago. It is a call that comes down to each and every one of us every day.

The question is are we ready and willing to risk letting go of our current life-styles so that Christ can transform our whole way of being.