19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
We too have been called to follow Jesus and to become “fishers of men.” Peter and Andrew left their nets immediately and followed Jesus. We probably weren’t asked to quit our jobs, or leave our families behind but we were called to be disciples. There’s a saying that says, “Bloom where you’re planted.” I believe that this tells us to let Jesus come with us into our families, into our workplaces, into our neighborhoods and be examples of Jesus to others. If we are to be examples of Jesus’ love, we must be loving. If we are to bring God’s peace, we must have peace within us. To bring the hope that we have based on Jesus’ gaining for us our salvation, we must be people of hope. If we want others to believe in a forgiving, accepting God, we must be forgiving and accepting in our own lives.
Peter, Andrew, James and John were followed by another eight to become apostles, the twelve men closest to Jesus. One, Judas, would be tempted by greed, and possibly by fear and would turn away and betray him. Peter would deny him and the others run away out of fear, but these would have a change of heart and then would remain faithful to their deaths.
We will have to decide for ourselves if we will answer Jesus’ call, and we will also have to face the consequences of that decision. Being a disciple will never be an easy task. We might face rejection or ridicule from even our closest family members or friends. But the peace in our hearts that comes from staying close to Jesus cannot be replaced by anything the world has to offer.
Lord, thank you for the confidence you have in us to call us to be your disciples. Please keep us faithful to your mission and may our example draw others to you. Amen.
