"THEY LEFT THEIR NETS AND FOLLOWED HIM."

Homily for November 30^th, 2013: Matthew 4:18-22.

          Peter and his bother made their living from fishing. Yet at Jesus’ call they immediately leave their nets and boat and follow him. They were burning their bridges behind them. Why? If we could have asked them, I think they might have said something like this: “You would have to have known this man Jesus. There was something about him that made it impossible to say No.”

The Lord called me 73 years ago, by placing in my heart the desire to be a priest. From age 12 I’ve never wanted anything else. Next April I will have been a priest for 60 years. Have all those years been happy? Of course not. That doesn’t happen in any life. If you ask me, however: ‘Have you ever regretted your decision for priesthood,’ I would answer at once, and without a moment’s hesitation: Never, not one single day. 

          Is God’s call just for religious professionals, priests and nuns? Don’t you believe it! He calls each one of us, as he called those four rough fishermen in today’s gospel. He calls us to walk with him, to be so full of his love that others will see the joy on our faces and want what we have. Christianity, it has been said, cannot be taught. It must be caught.

          “I could never do that,” you’re thinking? You’re wrong. Here is a list someone sent me recently of some of the great people in the Bible. Every one of them had a reason for thinking God could not use them. So the next time you think that God can’t use you, remember: 

Noah was a drunk. Abraham was too old. Isaac was a daydreamer. Jacob was a liar. Joseph was abused by his brothers. Moses had a speech impediment. Gideon was afraid. Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer. Rahab was a prostitute. Jeremiah and Timothy thought they were too young. David had an affair with a married woman and had her husband killed. Elijah was suicidal. Isaiah thought himself unworthy. Jonah ran away from God’s call. Job went bankrupt. Martha was a perpetual worrier. The Samaritan woman at the well was five times divorced. Zacchaeus was too small. Peter denied Christ. The disciples fell asleep while praying. At Jesus’ arrest, they all forsook him and fled. Paul was a religious fanatic. Timothy had an ulcer. And Lazarus was dead! So what’s your excuse? Whatever it may be, God can still use you. Besides, you aren’t the message. You’re only the messenger.

          When you were born, you started to cry, and everyone around you was smiling. Start today (if you haven’t started already) living your life so that when you die, you’re smiling, and everyone around you is crying.