Saturday, December 11, 2010

The gospel of Luke, chapter 5:10-11

If you’ve ever been called to do something-lead a group, play on a team, answer a question–you know that there is always more to the call than first meets the eye. Accepting a call means also accepting its consequences. The leader is expected to lead, the player is expected to play well, and the student is expected to respond. No wonder we shy away from being called, or at least, from responding to many calls. Today’s scripture celebrates the call of the first disciples to follow Jesus. It is made clear that, although God’s call is never easy to respond to, it is always well worth answering.

Christ’s call to us is twofold: it is, first of all, a call to change our lives. Secondly, it is a call to share with others what we have experienced because of Christ–forgiveness, welcome, reconciliation, and unconditional love. Being called by Christ, then, means personally dying and rising as Christ did, and it means doing it every day. Every day we must turn away from selfishness to self-giving, from fear to trust, from self-doubt to faith.

Being called by Christ also means sharing with others the wholesome experience of God’s presence in the world. Through Christ, God has entered into our personal lives. Answering the call of Christ means walking in His footsteps.

If you think that responding to Christ’s call is difficult, know that it is. But, don’t let that put you off. Know that throughout the centuries, people like you responded to Christ’s call. This response has created a grouping of people which we call the Church. We know that the Church is human because it is made up of people like us who are vulnerable. We also know that the Church is Divine because it possesses the grace that comes from the word and the sacraments, which the Lord has handed down to us for our benefit.

Fr. Hugh Duffy