Meditations on the Sunday Gospel for the Year of the Eucharist
Beginning Sunday January 23rd, 2005
of the Lord
left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun
and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on
those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. From that time
on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is
called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were
fishermen. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw
two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were
in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and
immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. He went around
all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.
invaded by the Assyrians in 733 BC. Jesus will begin his ministry here in restoring the
promises of the covenants between God and Israel. In the scene immediately preceding
this passage, Jesus battles with satan in the wilderness for forty days. At the end of it, we
are told that “the devil left him.” In the very next sentence we find out that John has been
arrested and Jesus now takes up the mantle, the battle in the desert has spilled out into
the rest of the world. Jesus goes to the people in darkness and proclaims that the Kingdom
of Heaven is at hand. He then begins to gather together his disciples who will fight with
Him for the advance of the Kingdom.
Apostles and You
James and John. The waves are lapping against the boat
you are in. The smell of fish is in the air. You see a man
walking along the shoreline. You recognize him to be that
mysterious fellow who had recently moved into the area. He
was preaching repentance and saying that the Kingdom of
Heaven is at hand. The famous John had been silenced
and now this man has taken up the role. His voice is so
captivating, he radiates truth. On the surface he looks very
ordinary but when he speaks he has such conviction, such
honesty, such authority. He looks across the waters at you
and speaks in that captivating voice, “Follow me.” You
know he doesn’t mean just to follow him today, but to follow
him with your whole life. What goes through your mind?
simple and direct request. Two words. Yet, to follow you is to constantly turn
my life upside down. To follow you is to give over my own will to yours. To
follow you means not only enjoying this peaceful walk with you along the
shoreline, but also down the streets of Jerusalem amidst the angry crowd, and
up the hill of Calvary to the loneliness of the Cross. Lord, it sounds so easy,
and yet it is my life’s project, or rather, Lord, make it my life’s project. So often
you turn left, when I expect you to turn right. You lead my life one way, while I
expect to go the other, and in my mind, the other is the much better way to go.
Yet I agreed to follow you, and I trust that you must know the best way. Every
time, I’m tempted to go the other way, remind me Lord of St. Peter’s words,
“Lord, to whom else shall we go, You have the words of eternal life.”
Jesus, I made a decision to follow you (reflect back on the moment or major
moments in your life when you made the decision). I stepped out of the boat of
indecision, the boat of compromise, the boat of comfort, and decided to follow you.
Yet I know that following you is a constant battle; reveal to me the ways that I’ve
softened my resolve and give me the strength of that first decision. (reflect on those
ways)
Lord, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee you called four men and not one of
them hesitated to follow you. You had been preparing them, detaching them from
their petty wants and desires, freeing them that on the day they heard your voice
they would be free to follow. Lord, give me that freedom. It is a gift of grace and I
beg you for it. Free me from these ways I remain enslaved…
“The people in darkness have seen a great light.” Lord, often I meet people who
are still in darkness, who don't know who you are. Bring them your light Lord. May
you give to me some of that radiance during my prayer time here, that when I
encounter them, they may experience the Light, they may experience You. Spend
time, absorbing that Light which radiates from our Lord.
EUCHARIST
bread and wine is converted into the substance of your Body
and Blood. All powerful Lord, say over me the word which
will change me into You."
- St. Anthony Marie Claret
goodness. Out of love you created me to know you, love you, and serve you in a unique way, as no one
else can. I believe that you have a plan for my life, that you have a task in your Kingdom reserved just for
me. Your plan and your task are far better than any other I might choose: they will glorify you, fulfill the
desires of my heart, and save those souls who are depending on my generous response.
Lord, grant me the light I need to see the next step in that plan; grant me the generosity I need to set
aside my own plans in favor of yours; and grant me the strength I need to put my hands to your plough
and never turn back. You know me better than I know myself, so you know that I am sinful and weak. All
the more reason that I need your grace to uphold the good desires of my heart, O Lord! *
Show me your will for me, O gentle and eternal God, and help me to say with Mary, "I am the servant
of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word," and to say with Jesus, "Let not my will be done,
but yours."
Prayer to discover and follow my vocation from www.vocation.com
Year of the Eucharist Page