Jesus cslls his first disciples   “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”  

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

  1 Samuel 1:1-8

There was a man

From Ramathaim, in the hills of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah. He was son of Tohu, son of Jeroham, of the clan of Zuph. He had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children but Hannah had none.

Every year Elkanah went to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of Hosts at Shiloh. The priests there were the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas. Whenever Elkanah offered sacrifice, he gave portions to his wife, peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.

To Hannah, however, he gave the more delightful portion bcause he loved her more, although she had no child. Yet Hannah’s rival used to tease her for being barren.

So it happened every year when they went to Yahweh’s house, Peninnah irritated Hannah and she would weep and refuse to eat. Once Elkanah, her husband, asked her, “Hannah, why do you weep instead of eating? Why are you sad? Are you not better off with me than with many sons?”

 

Ps 116:12-13, 14-17, 18-19

To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.

 

  ＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊     

Mark 1:14-20

 After John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee and began preaching the Good News of God.   He said, “The time has come; the kingdom of God is at hand. Change your ways and believe the Good News.”

 As Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”

At once, they abandoned their nets and followed him.  Jesus went a little farther on and saw James and John, the sons of Ze­be­dee; they were in their boat mending their nets.  Immediately, Jesus called them and they followed him, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men.

 

Follow Him; Not an Idea

The opening message of Jesus’ ministry has two announcements and two calls to action: two announcements that the Time and the kingdom are here; two calls for change and belief.

At this point, he does not explain what is meant by the Time or the Kingdom, or how to change. The world will know, gradually, as this Time and the Kingdom unfold in his very being.

What we need to do is to follow him, live with him. This is the call given to Simon and Andrew: “Follow me”. The same call is given to James and John. To you and me.

As Pope Benedict observed, being Christian is an encounter not with an ethical choice or lofty idea, but with an event, a person (cf. Deus Caritas Est, #1). You follow him, trusting that in the course of the following, everything will unfold at the right time.