I love this week’s gospel story where Jesus calls disciples to follow him as they are there with their nets and boats at the Sea of Galilee. I always imagine a warm and sunny day with the brothers working together on the shore. They are taking and joking while they work to feed their families like they have every day of their lives. Jesus comes into this familiar setting and calls them to follow, to “fish for people” and they go.
Though the story is short, it is still very rich. Jesus is beginning his public ministry, calling these fisher-folk to follow. There’s the beauty, abundance, and danger of the sea. We can see the important connections of family and life’s work. There’s a reference to John’s arrest, a reminder that this work is not easy or safe. And yet, we hear that two sets of brothers leave “immediately” to follow.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the fact that Jesus comes to the fishermen in their usual place, and how he uses images of their work as he invites them to follow him. Jesus meets them where they are, uses the very activity they understand best to explain what he is calling them into. He shows understanding and respect for who they are and what they do even while he calls them to leave it all for a new way of life.
As Jesus calls us to follow, we find the same is true. Jesus comes into our day-to-day, regular life with an invitation to follow. An invitation to help spread the good news of God’s love and forgiveness, God’s faithfulness and justice, God’s unbreakable commitment to this world and each of us. God understands and respects who we are and what we can do. We are called to live our lives in ways that reflect and show who God is and how we are part of God’s work. God works through us. God works through the lives we live, the work we do, the relationships we are in, the activities we participate in, the interactions we have . . . all of it.
God meets us where we are, and uses us when we are fishing and studying and shopping and working and just hanging out. God brings love and justice, peace and forgiveness into the world every day through you, wherever you are.
Peace,