THIRD SUNDAY ORDINARY TIME

THE CALL OF DISCIPLESHIP

St Marks gives the impression that the call of the disciples was very formal event and one that came out of the blue without any previous knowledge of, or relationship with, Jesus. But St John shows that this was not the case, John makes it clear that their relationship with Jesus passed through a stage of growth and development. People don´t just up and follow a complete stranger. If they do they are fools.
It´s clear that the four disciples have previously contact with Jesus. They probably began by standing in the crowd, listening to him. That would have resulted in admiration, which made them want to get to know him personally. Once they met him, and felt the magnetism of his personality, they were attracted to him. This is what made possible their decision to follow him.
This explains why, when the call finally came, their response was so immediate and complete. They left everything- live hood, possessions, security, family ties- and devoted themselves exclusively to the following of Jesus. Down the ages many believers have made the same total commitment to Christ. Even thought his call “Follow me” sounds like a command, it was of course not a command but an invitation.
Who were these men? They were fishermen. Fishing was an important occupation. But Jesus called them to an even more important occupation. He offered them not just a new work but a cause to which to dedicate their lives. They knew that he wasn´t calling them to a life of ease. Quite the contrary. But as fishermen they would have been well acquainted with hardship already.
They understood also that Jesus ´call was a call to service of others. “i will make you fishers of people”. When the leaders of cults call people to follow them, they turn into their personal slaves. Jesus called the apostles, not to service to himself but to service others.
His call meant sacrificing their own plans, ambitions, securities, and so on. It was a dangerous adventure, because they were moving from the known to the unknown. But they also knew that his call offered an opportunity to live a fuller and more worthwhile life. Up to this they had a career. Now they would have a vocation.
A career and a vocation are different though not mutually exclusive. We might express a vocation through a specific career ...teacher, nurse, doctor... but a vocation can never be reduced to these activities. It is something deeper. It involves vision, motivation, and dedication. A career usually means furthering oneself. But a vocation means serving others.
The fact that they accepted this challenge so whole-heartedly tells us a lot about the kind of men they were. Yet they weren´t supermen. They were just ordinary people. No one ever believed in the ordinary person to be a disciple of Jesus.
The lord still calls people today, and the need is just as great today. And there still are those who respond. Some people, like the apostles are called to dedicate themselves totally and in a professional way to the following of Christ. But not all Christians are called to follow Christ in this way.
The idea of a call runs counter to the prevailing culture. The thinking today is that we can live an uncalled life- one not referred to any purpose beyond oneself. It´s not easy to allow oneself to be chosen. Left to someone to challenge us, who has our best interest at heart, and who will not let us settle for anything less that the best that are capable of. What does the following of Christ mean for the ordinary person? It means to be a Christian where you are and in your chosen profession. There are more ways than one of serving Christ and his Gospel. The call in the first instance is not an apostolate but to discipleship.