Ordinary Time

Pause

Jesus, Light of the world, come and sit with me.

Shine your wisdom unto me.

Jesus, Light of my life, come and be still with me.

Direct me in your truth.

Listen

As Jesus walked alongside the Galilee Sea, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, throwing fishing nets into the sea, because they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” he said, “and I’ll show you how to fish for people.” Right away, they left their nets and followed him. Continuing on, he saw another set of brothers, James the son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father repairing their nets. Jesus called them and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Matthew 4:18-22

Think

When you don’t have much to lose, you also don’t have much to gain. Sometimes this is how life feels. Everything and everyone around you might be moving on up and gaining in attention and success, but you are not. Life can be a bore when it’s the same routine of homework, school, homework, practices, sibling rivalry, parental pressure, and more homework. Oh what fun, on repeat.

I wonder if this is how the two sets of brothers in today’s passage felt. Same boat, same net, some fish, and lots of manual labor: oh what fun, on repeat. I don’t think it’s the nature of the job that was lacking purpose; fishing as a profession is honorable and a passion for many. But I do think it was the nature of their heart and calling at question. They knew it, and so did Jesus, who bade them come. It took but a second for the brothers to leave their nets immediately. They had a feeling, after all, that with Jesus they had nothing to lose and only to gain.

Aram Bae

Pray

Light of the world, bid me to come to you. Bid me to follow you all the days of my life no matter my past or present. As I follow, transform my behavior, words, and actions so that I can encourage others to follow you, too. Amen.

Go

Christ my Redeemer, be alive and real in my life.

Christ my Friend, be near and true to your word.

Christ my Light, be honored in what I say and do.