Never Ending Love.

     In this weeks gospel Mark 1: 14-20 Jesus begins to gather his disciples.  We have heard  the term “Fishers of Men” but let’s look into what that  can mean. I believe Jesus used the term to let his disciples know what they were going to be doing. They understood fishing and Jesus has a way of meeting you right where you are.  These fishermen were going to be responsible for gathering a new group of people  to spread the word of God. I’ve gone fishing just a few times. What can remember is that even though it was for fun  it takes plenty of work. You have to do a certain amount of work to catch a fish.    They don’t just  jump on your fishing rod. You have to make an effort.  Now, when Jesus spoke of fishing  it  was more than recreational. It was about survival. In those times, as a fishermen,  no fish  may have meant no dinner.  So when  Jesus said “Fishers of Men”  maybe he was saying that gathering people to follow him was going to take work, It wasn't just  any kind of work. It was work that we need to do as if our life depened on it.  

    Discipleship wasn’t  something you took lightly. It meant to do exactly what Andrew Simon and Andrew did.  Drop everything and follow. Follow blindly but with faith.  Being a disciple was an immediate decision you didn’t get to wait until “Monday” or a better time. It  meant that if God called now you went now. It meant giving your life in exchange for the life that God wants for you.    Back then before the church it was just Jesus and the word of God.   To give up your life and all that you love for  Jesus back then is no small task.  That is the  power  of God.  Who else can get that type of dedication? If you consider the world that the disciples lived in back then I believe only Jesus and the word of God can command that type of loyalty. 

    Today as followers we are called to sacrifice  as did the original disciples.   We are called to exchange what we want for what God wants.  Have you ever considered what God wants from your life? Have you ever considered what type of person God wants you to be. What behaviors or actions does God want from you? These are the questions that a follower of Christs can ask.  Just as the disciples  made immediate decisions  to follow  Jesus we are  also called to stop the procrastination. Stop waiting for a better week  to attend Sunday Mass. Stop letting days go by without prayer.  Being with the lord is an immediate decision and that takes place in your heart.  You don’t need the right conditions. The conditions will never be right. What is right is the Lord. God is always right. That's discipleship thinking. No questions to ask.  You just need to decide. Are you going to fish?

    As a disciple we are the Fishers of Men and responsible for  gospel and how it’s shared.  I have found  for me, that being a true Christian means sharing how you follow Christ with others. It means letting others know how you worship and pray. It also means  letting  the people in your life know about your struggles and how God has brought you through them.   Our walk with Christ isn’t going to be perfect but that’s why we have grace.  As Fishers we  get to share the highs and lows of our relationship with Christ.  That’s how we spread the word. We spread the word by sharing our experiences. Our tests become our testimony.  Welcome the good and bad times of life.  They are our talking points.  They are proof that God has touched our lives.  Let the world witness what Christ has done for you. As a Christian we know good times pass. Yes, those good times do come to an end. We also know that bad times pass. Those tough times  come and go just like the waves of the ocean. It's your relationship with Christ that will never end.