The Calling Christ
Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:12-22
Meditation
After the temptation in the wilderness, Jesus leaves Nazareth. He goes to the region of Galilee, and makes his home in the city of Capernaum.
“Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali—to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
‘Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.’ ”
From Nazareth to Galilee, this is a prophetic relocation. Centuries earlier, the prophet Isaiah had foretold that, in Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who had lived in darkness would see a great light. Now, in Jesus, the light of the world has just moved into the neighborhood.
After he settles in, Jesus introduces himself to his neighbors, gets to know the area. He walks the streets, the hills and the seashore of the seaside village. Then, when he’s ready, he lets his light shine.
For those who live in the land of the shadow of death, his message is like the rising of the sun,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Perhaps, early one morning, as he walks the seashore, Jesus remembers the calling that the Father gave him:
“Leave heaven! Humble and make yourself nothing! Take the very nature of a servant. Be obedient to death—even, death on a cross. Let go of your world and go into mine. Preach and teach and heal. Suffer, die, and rise again on the third day. And then, when that work is complete, send. Send men and women into the world as I have sent you.” 1
But before Jesus can send, he must call.
As Jesus looks down the shore, he sees two brothers: Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew. The brothers also live in Capernaum. They’re not strangers. They’re his neighbors. Every day they’ve seen Jesus. They’ve heard him speak. They’ve talked to him and about him.
But today is not every day.
Today these ordinary men are about to get an extraordinary calling.
“As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.”
He invites them—“come”.
He directs them—“follow after me”.
He promises to transform them—“I’ll make you fishers of men.”
He asks them to leave their lives behind and follow him. And as soon as he asks, they follow. They leave it all behind. Nets. Boats. Family.
They become his disciples.
With Simon and Andrew following, Jesus continues to walk down the shore. He sees another set of brothers, James, son of Zebedee, and his brother, John. They, too, are fishermen. Jesus calls them and they immediately jump out of the boat. They leave their father with the nets, wave a running goodbye, and follow Jesus.
Where there was once one, now there are five. Soon there will be twelve and after that multitudes.
Jesus chooses these men to be his disciples. But he doesn’t search them out because they have any extraordinary skills, talents, or abilities.
They’re fishermen.
He doesn’t ask them to follow him because they stand out in society.
They’re normal, ordinary, and unschooled men.
He doesn’t call them because of what they can do for him. He calls them because of what he will do for them and what he can do in them. He simply asks them to come and be with him. And because they are with him, he promises to do something extraordinary through them.
Later, when the world looks at these men, the only thing it will take note of is that they had been with Jesus.
“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)
Prayer
Father,
As your Son began his ministry, he called common, ordinary men to follow him.
He invited them, “Come.”
He directed them, “Follow me.”
And then he promised to transform them, “I’ll make you fishers of men.”
He asked them to leave their well-established lives. He challenged them to let go of their world and enter his. In a word, he asked them to become disciples—followers, not leaders.
And they did.
Holy Spirit, on this day, may I come to know the Calling Christ. Show me once again that it is not I who chose Christ but that it is Christ who chose me. Remind me of the Father’s eternal call. Before the world began He foreknew me in Jesus. Remind me of my Baptism. Everyday I live out of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Remind me of the day when you called me by the Gospel and enlightened me with your gifts. Remind me that Jesus still says,
“Follow me”.
During this day, whenever the Calling Christ says, “come”, may I immediately leave “the nets” of my life behind and follow after him.
It’s in his name that I pray. Amen.
Reflection
In what way is the Calling Christ saying to you, “Come”?
Where is he asking you to go?
When you follow the Calling Christ, what will you leave behind?
How will people recognize that you have been with Jesus?
(1) A compilation of thoughts drawn from Philippians 2:5-12
All Scripture references in the meditation are marked by italics and are taken from the Gospel reading for the day (Matthew 4:12-22). Those verses quoted outside of the chosen reading for the day are noted in parenthesis. All Scripture quoted on this site is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.