NOTES for Mar 1:16-22
16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. |
17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. |
18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. |
19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. |
20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. |
21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. |
22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. |
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Today we read in the Gospel of Mark about the calling of the disciples and their response to that calling. This is far from being about an ability for spontaneous actions: apparently, these four already knew Jesus. That is how John 1:35-51 can be understood. After all, we ourselves are not reading these lines for the first time. What is surprising here is something else: how briefly the evangelist speaks about it. Indeed, calling and conversion are only the very beginning of the way. The words and deeds of Jesus, the disciples' wavering and denial, and the joy of the Resurrection will be described in much greater detail. On the other hand, without this episode there would have been no whole Gospel. What would have happened if no one had followed Jesus?
In our time Christ's action in this world continues. And the disciples without whom nothing would have happened are, this time, us. Therefore today it is so important for us to realize once again that the Lord has called us to follow Him and to find in ourselves the courage to climb out of the boat and follow after Him.
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