Called to be Fishers of Men Is 8:23-9:3; 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17; Mt 4:12-23 (A 3)

 

Called to be Fishers of Men

 

Is 8:23-9:3; 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17; Mt 4:12-23 (A 3)

 

“…every liturgical celebration, as an activity of Christ the priest and of his body, which is the Church” (Sacrosanctum Concilium)

 

Once, Aeschines came to Socrates and said, “I am a poor man. I have nothing else, but I give myself”. Socrates answered, “Do you not see that you are giving me the most precious thing of all?” Jesus called fishermen with no great background to make the fishers of men. What Jesus needs is ordinary people who will give themselves to him. In the past, the concept of “vocation” addressed priests and religious. However, it has now been restored to every baptized. God has chosen each of us: “I have called you by name; you are mine” (Is 43: 1); “You didn’t choose me; no, I chose you, and I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that would remain” (Jn 15:16).  Through today’s Gospel, we are being called again to be fishers of men.

 

A good fisherman must have (i) patience until the fish takes the bait. If he is restless, never make him a fisherman. (ii) He must have perseverance to try again and again without being discouraged when nothing seems to happen. (iii) The fisherman must have the courage to face any danger in telling people the truth. (iv) The fisherman must have an eye for the right moment to speak and a time to be silent, waiting for the fish to bite. (v) The wise fisherman must keep himself out of sight. If he obtrudes his own presence, even his own shadow, the fish will certainly not bite. Finally, the fisherman for Christ will always seek to present people, not with himself, but with Jesus Christ. He aims to fix men’s eyes not on himself, but only on Christ. Every baptized Christian becomes a fisher of men for Christ.

 

The world is beautiful for those who are in the light of Baptism. The world is horrible for those who are in darkness without the light of Jesus.  We are in the light. We need to bring this light to others. Like Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John, we are called to let people know about Jesus Christ, who is alive and active in the world (Mt 18:20).  We are to let them know that he loves and calls them to come into the Light. Jesus Christ is not only for us.  We have not been called to embrace selfish motives with the Lord but rather to use our own unique talents to bring others to Christ. Pope Francis said, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch. You, too, are called to become ‘fishers of men’. Don’t hesitate to spend your life witnessing joyfully to the Gospel, especially among your peers.”

 

 

“In the liturgy on earth we are given a foretaste and share in the liturgy of heaven…” (Sacrosanctum Concilium)