When Jesus Calls

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

St. Alphonsus Catholic Catholic, Brooklyn Center, MN

Sunday, January 26, 2020

After Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist and his temptations in the desert, he began his public ministry in Galilee, a region occasionally called “Galilee of the Gentiles” due to the large Gentile population in the area. Back then, it was under the political control of Herod Antipas, who got John the Baptist arrested. Upon hearing of John’s arrest, Jesus left Nazareth, a Jewish town in Galilee where he was mostly raised, and headed to live Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus’s arrival to this territory fulfills the prophesy of Isaiah, which we heard in today’s first reading. Isaiah called the territory, “a place of darkness” because during his time, it was populated primarily by pagans, and the few remaining Jews had difficulty holding onto their ancestral faith and tradition. So, with the relocation of Jesus to this region, those who once dwelt in darkness for long centuries have at last seen a great light, Jesus Christ, the Light of the world himself. 

The town of Capernaum is mentioned in all the four gospels. It was the center of Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee. Although Jesus was born in Bethlehem, brought up in Nazareth, and preached in Jerusalem, it was the amount of time he spent in Capernaum from where he performed many of his miracles and teachings, that made Matthew call Capernaum his “own town” (Matthew 9:1). Mark calls Capernaum home for Jesus (Mark 2:1). In 2019, I was in the Holy Land for pilgrimage. When my group and I visited Capernaum, the first thing that our tour guide said to us was, “Brothers and sisters, this is the town of Jesus.” Capernaum is reported to also be the hometown of Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John and the tax collector, Matthew. It is believed that either Jesus owned a home in Capernaum or he stayed in the house of one his followers. 

So, from Capernaum, a fishing village on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus began to preach. To the mixed population of Jews and Gentiles he preached and called everyone to repentance because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Did you notice that his message is the same message preached by John the Baptist in Matthew 3:2? Both John’s and Jesus’ call to repentance requires a turning away from sin, reforming of one’s life, and linking and wiring one’s life to God. The call to repent is a call to “Seek the Lord while he may be found, to call upon him while he is near.” It is a call for the wicked to forsake their way, for sinners to change their thoughts, to return to the Lord and find mercy, to return to the God of Israel who is generous in forgiving” (Isaiah 55:6-7). 

As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew casting their net into the sea because they were fishermen and he said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Without making any excuses, they left everything they were doing and followed him. Walking away from there, he saw two other brothers, James and John in the boat with their father, Zebedee mending their nets. The moment he called them, they left their father, boat, nets, livelihood and followed him. Right from there he went round Galilee, teaching, preaching and healing many of their diseases. 

Sisters and brothers, today’s Gospel does three things— one, it calls our attention to the power of Jesus’ word (Rhema); two, the response of Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John shows us the ideal response when it comes to God and God’s matters. When God calls, drop everything for nothing is more important. Three, Jesus wants each one of us to become fishers of men. None of us should be contented with merely being a disciple; we should make disciples for the Lord as well. If you have found the Lord, what about others in your family? If you have found peace and rest in God, are you talking to others about your experience? Use every opportunity to share your faith. Talk about the blessings and benefits of your faith. Don’t be timid about sharing your faith. When you hear the assertion that smart people do not believe in God, that it is only dumb ones who do, do not be cowed or even get upset. Talk about how your faith in Jesus has changed your life. If you have seen the light, what about others who still live in darkness? 

Now, do not let the cost discipleship scare you. Do not allow your inadequacies, weaknesses and imperfections discourage you from making this commitment totally. Do not be frightened by the thought of making mistakes. Do not heed to the voice of the Devil telling you that you cannot make it, that you are prone to fall and disappoint the Lord. Jesus himself has already indicated that he came to call the unrighteous, the weak and sinners. Look at St. Peter. The same one we read in today’s Gospel, who left everything to follow Jesus denied him thrice after Jesus was arrested (Matt. 26: 69-75). In the gospel of John 20:24, Apostle Thomas doubted the resurrection of the Lord: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” In the gospel of John 14:5, Thomas again did not understand where his Master’s house is: “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” In the same gospel of John 14, verse 8, Philip failed to understand who Jesus’ Father is: “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” In the gospel of Luke 22:24, there was a dispute among the disciples of Jesus as to which of them was considered the greatest. In Luke 22:45, the disciples of Jesus were not able to stay awake and keep watch with Jesus at Gethsemane. In the gospel of Mark chapters 14 and 15 Jesus was abandoned by virtually all his disciples shortly after his arrest; and during his trail before the Council and Pilate he was all alone. All those who called him “Master,” “Lord,” “Rabbi” were no where to be found. In the Gospel of Mark 15: 42-46, the man who came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus was not one of his 12 disciples; the man who brought down the lifeless body of Jesus from the cross is not Peter or James. The man who wrapped his body with a linen cloth and laid him in the tomb is not Andrew or John. In fact, none of them was even present. They all disappeared in fear. Mark 15: 47 says, “Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus were watching and saw where the body of Jesus was placed.” None of the Twelve was present. No wonder it was Mary Magdalene who saw the Resurrected Jesus first. No wonder she was the first to visit the tomb. Of course she knew where he was buried.

From all these references, we can see that the disciples were not always blameless. But their abiding and unyielding faith in Jesus was unquestionable. Their devotion and commitment to their Master and his mission came first in their lives. Some of them later shed their blood for their faith in him. This should be our attitude too. Do not worry about making a mistake; do not be discouraged by your weaknesses. Psalm 138: 8 says, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose and plans for you and me.” Philippians 1: 6 says, “…he who started the good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Though Peter denied Jesus thrice but he ended up as the first pope, the first leader of the church, the man Jesus handed the keys of heaven. Instead of getting scared, think of what the Lord can do for you, with you, in you and through you. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, the Lord assures us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Jesus called ordinary men to follow him. Following the Lord requires ordinariness, it requires being ordinary and simple. And following Jesus is an ordinary thing too. It is not an esoteric thing. It means leaving everything behind in the fourth position and letting the Lord’s agenda comes first, second and third in our lives. I want to assure you that by following the Lord faithfully and everyday, you do not loose anything, instead you gain everything. Walking in the footsteps of the Master makes you a master as well. You become a master of yourself, your emotions and your passions. Walking in the shoes of the Master insures your life here and hereafter. Remember John 14:1-3!