Jesus called Simon and his brother and asked them to follow Him. We read that they abandoned their nets “at once.” What display of trust and obedience! “At once” means they didn’t doubt or delay. They didn’t second-guess whether they should follow Jesus or not.

This made me reflect: How many times did I delay following Jesus? How many times did I hear His voice in my prayer time, yet I didn’t obey to leave my bad habits? I delayed serving Him and followed my way, not His.

Good thing, His lavish grace and love never gave up on me. And that led to my transformation and alignment to His purpose.

Friend, is God calling you to follow Him? Is He asking you to “fish for people” by serving those around you—at home, in business, work, and ministry? Leave your old nets and  follow Him at once—with full trust and obedience to His plans.

Love Cosio (lovelynmcosio@gmail.com)

reflect

In what areas of your life are you not following God’s call at once?

Lord, today I let go of my old nets. I commit to follow You at once. 

St. Marguerite Boureoys, virgin, pray for us.

When we read the story of Hannah and her desire for a child, we see that she feels something is missing in her life. Her spirit recognizes that her true fulfillment will come through becoming a mother. This is in the make-up of Hannah’s spirit, as it is in the lives of most women.

¹ There was a certain man from Ramathaim, Elkanah by name, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. ² He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless. ³ This man regularly went on pilgrimage from his city to worship the Lord of hosts and to sacrifice to him at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were ministering as priests of the Lord. ⁴ When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice, he used to give a portion each to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, ⁵ but a double portion to Hannah because he loved her, though the Lord had made her barren. ⁶ Her rival, to upset her, turned it into a constant reproach to her that the Lord had left her barren. ⁷ This went on year after year; each time they made their pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Lord, Peninnah would approach her, and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat. ⁸ Her husband Elkanah used to ask her “Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat? Why do you grieve? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 116:12-13, 14-16, 18-19

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

¹² How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me? ¹³ The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. (R) ¹⁴ My vows to the Lord I will pay in the presence of all his people. ¹⁵ Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones. ¹⁶ O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds. (R) ¹⁸ My vows to the Lord I will pay in the presence of all his people, ¹⁹ In the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. (R)

Gospel | Mark 1:14-20

The arrest of John the Baptist seems to trigger the ministry of Jesus. From this point, we are no longer waiting for someone; the Messiah is here in the person of Jesus, the Son of God. He brings God’s Kingdom with Him and calls us to repent and believe in the Gospel. Life in the Kingdom of God is offered to us as a gift. Repentance and believing in the Gospel are the means by which we remain faithful to the gift.

Gospel Acclamation

The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.

¹⁴ After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: ¹⁵ “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” ¹⁶ As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. ¹⁷ Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” ¹⁸ Then they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. ²⁰ Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

Read the Bible in one year! Read MATTHEW 25 - 28 today.

Today’s First Reading from the first book of Samuel prepares us for the miraculous circumstances surrounding the birth of the prophet Samuel. Elkanah was married to Hannah who was barren. They have been praying for a child, and Hannah was in constant distress.

In biblical times, barrenness was seen as a curse and punishment from God due to sinfulness. While this worldview was flawed, the opposite mentality is true and correct. Fertility was the greatest blessing. The ability to conceive a child makes one a direct partner in the creative power of God.

Today, we have lost that perspective. With the reduction of sex as purely a pleasurable form of entertainment or hobby, fertility is the one seen as a curse. Years ago, TIME magazine dedicated a whole issue of its publication entitled “Childless Marriages.” It reported that many modern marriages are childless, not because of infertility but because of choice —and, for some, even of outright hostility for children.

One study reports a considerable number of young couples actually preferring to raise dogs and cats in place of children, even though they are economically well-equipped to raise a human family. There is now the phenomenon of momshaming on social media. The titles “fur moms” and “fur dads” are now the preferred label. The conclusion was that children in the modern worldview are seen as barriers to self-fulfillment, a hindrance to work and success.

In no way is the Church advocating mindless procreation. Couples are encouraged to raise only the number of children they can responsibly take care of. The Church calls it responsible parenthood. But what is brewing in the modern culture today is hostility to parenthood.

Let the weeping Hannah remind us that children are not a barrier to our work. Children are our most important work. Children are not hindrances to success. Children are our most important success. 

Fr. Joel O. Jason

reflection question

“First comes love, then marriage. Then comes the baby and the baby carriage.” Do you see the wisdom behind this old nursery rhyme? 

For the blessing of love, family, and children, thank You, O Lord. Amen.

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________