Gospel: Mark
1:14-20
After
John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This
is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe
in the gospel. As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother
Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to
them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned
their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James,
the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their
nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along
with the hired men and followed him.
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Reflection:
What is
the prerequisite in following Jesus? Its repentance and belief in His gospel
message, we cannot follow without repentance and firm belief in His gospel
message.
When Simon, Andrew, James and John responded
to His call they did not simply respond. Along with their response to Jesus
came their desire to repent. They also did not only leave behind them their
livelihood and families they also left behind their sinfulness or anything that
made them sin.
When the
four of them went along with Jesus to become fishers of men they were already
renewed by Jesus. They were also equipped by Jesus with practically anything
that they would be needing as they go about their mission.
What is
the relevance of the gospel to us and to our faith life? We too are being
called by Jesus to a life of renewal and repentance. We too are being called by
Jesus to follow Him and become fishers of men. Why does Jesus calls us to
a life of renewal and repentance? This is for the reason that we are all
sinners, no one of us is sinless.
The
recent visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines was not only a visit per se. It
was also a clarion call for all of us for a life of renewal and repentance.
Hundreds and millions of us went to the streets to see the Pope and to greet
him. What now after that encounter with Pope Francis?
Let us
not waste our encounter with the Pope by doing nothing let us allow it to move
us towards our renewal and repentance. The visit of the Pope
was also Jesus' direct call to all of us to follow Him so that we too could
become His instruments of renewal and repentance by doing so we become fishers
of men too!
To
positively respond to Jesus' call of repentance and belief in His gospel message
is the best action that we could ever do to our life.
What are we going to do to this call of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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