3rd Week in Ordinary Time (Year A) : Sunday 21st January 2024

Today’s reading from the Gospel of Mark recounts the call of the first disciples. It is a short read. We find ourselves along the shore of the Sea of Galilee and there Jesus passes by a father and his two sons fishing. He invites the two brothers to follow Him, and they immediately leave their nets and their father behind. He goes a little further and meets two more brothers helping their father mend their nets. They too drop what they are doing and leave their father with the other hired men to follow Jesus who promises them that they would one day be fishing for people.

The families of both sets of brothers were probably comparatively prosperous–they owned boats. Later we learned that one of the brothers at least was married and had his mother-in-law living with him. For them to leave and follow Jesus had its cost, not only for them, but for their families as well. Jesus used the town where they lived as a base for His preaching, so the brothers still maintained a relationship with their families. Their decision,however, entailed an extraordinary disruption to their lives.

Each of us has also received a call, although probably not quite so dramatic. Even so, to follow Jesus will always come at some cost to us. But the promise to us is the same: that we will come to share in the mission of Jesus.

Lord, let our call deepen our relationship with family and relative.