Gospel Reflection for Sunday January 24th 2021

The 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

God is still calling us!

In last Sunday’s readings we heard how God called Samuel and how both John the Baptist and Andrew introduced others to Jesus. Today this theme and message continues in our readings. In the first reading we hear about Jonah. ‘The Lord said to Jonah, get up, go and proclaim the message that I tell you.’ So he set out and went according to the word of the Lord.’ Similar to last week when Samuel was called, God personally calls Jonah by his name and sends him out with a message for others. Jonah is called and he responds courageously. He carries out the mission that was given to him by God; he calls to the people to repent and change their ways.

This call to repentance is continued in the gospel. We read; ‘after John was arrested, Jesus came proclaiming the Good News of God, saying… repent and believe the Good News.’ The good news that Jesus proclaims is one that tells us that we created, loved and known personally and intimately by God. It is also a message of conversion and repentance. To be in relationship with God and others also requires that we are in right relations with ourselves, others and God. How we live our daily lives matters; how we speak to and treat others matters. It is not just about my relationship with God. My friendship with God, while it is personal, it is never private. It is not only during the season of Lent that we are called to change our ways; it is central to our friendship with God and others.

The gospel then changes and we are told how Jesus called his first followers. It seems as if Jesus is causally walking along by the seashore when he sees Simon, Andrew and John. They are fishing. But this is where they encounter and experience Jesus; in their ordinary daily lives. Maybe Jesus isn’t just walking by them. It maybe is that Jesus actually knows them or at least knows about them – who they are, what they do for a living and where to find them. Whatever the case, the important thing to notice is that it is Jesus who takes the initiative. He comes looking for them and calls them personally to follow him. They accept the invitation of being called and respond generously; they left their boats and nets and followed him.

Jesus continues to do the very same with each of us today; he continues to search for us and call us personally by our name. He waits, watches and comes to us however and wherever we are. He offers us the same invitation and challenge that he offered those by the sea; Come, follow me. It is through our ordinary lives that we encounter and experience the call and presence of Jesus. As Patrick Kavanagh wrote; God is in the bits and pieces of everyday. Jesus calls us through the bits and pieces of our ordinary daily lives – if we are attentive and have an open heart to his voice calling us.

Often we, well I do, look and listen for the voice and presence of God in the loud dramatic events of my life. Now I realise that more often than not, God comes to me disguised in the ordinary events of my daily life. God hasn’t stopped talking and speaking to us. Jesus hasn’t stopped calling to follow him. The invitation Come, follow me is always being offered.

This week, look out for and notice how and where God might calling you through the daily events of your working and family life.

– Br Michael Moore OMI