Hearing a Call This weekend we hear from the Gospel of Mark, a sort of repeat of last weekend’s Gospel of John. As I mentioned last Sunday, there was no mention of the Apostle’s profession or their location. This weekend we hear they are fisherman and that they are at the Sea of Galilee. We will hear a great deal from Mark this year. What we must keep in mind as the gospels are proclaimed is that each writer describes “events” a little differently—and that is because the audience to which they are preaching is different: Jewish or Gentile, mixed, and all had various issues with which each local Church was dealing. We cannot let that cloud our eyes or ears as we try to focus in on the main point.

Whether they are fisherman or tax collectors, whether they are in the midst of healing a leper or feeding the hungry or raising the dead, the point we should listen to is the message of Jesus: not so much what He is doing but rather “why” He is doing something. Usually the why—the compas-sion and love, the hope and desire—which God has for each of us. Look up to the Catholic Q&A at the top, and see that the desire of God—whether we are baptized or not—is the gift of His Eternal happiness for us all.

Today what we should focus on in the gospel is the lack of hesitation with which the apostles responded to Jesus’ call—not what they were doing (fishing) or where they are (at the sea of Galilee or along the River Jordan) but that they heard something that made them follow Him right away—without hesitation.

How are we answering Jesus call to our discipleship? Do we drop everything and enter into our ministry fully and com-pletely? Or do we put up conditions to joining: I’ll help you feed the hungry or carry out this ministry for the church but on my terms, on my schedule and as long as I am noticed? Simon and Andrew, James and John heard something in Jesus’ call—and they jumped right in. Some theologians wonder if it was the hope to be Jesus’ chief advisors in a new earthly kingdom or was it that they were open to His words of mercy and the love of His sacraments, or maybe it was Jesus’ call to repentance and as human beings full of sinfulness, they were touched and de-sired to be healed, to be something more? Just a little thought for all of us to ponder as we move forward on our journey toward His eternal happiness.