TEXT: The Holy Gospel According to Matthew 4:12-23

There is no middle ground, when the call of Jesus comes to us.

We are called by our baptismal vows to renounce the world, the flesh and the devil, and, to follow our Lord Jesus Christ.

John the Baptizer, who had leaped in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth, when in the presence of the Blessed Virgin Maria and Jesus, now, followed Jesus (whom he had baptized in the Jordan River).  John had been arrested by Herod Antipas.

Jesus knew of this arrest.

12  When he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.
13 He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
14 that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:
15 "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
16 the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen."

Sometimes, like Jesus, our Lord, we must step back and refresh ourselves before we leap into the greatest battles that are spiritually before us.  John had been arrested.  Jesus had a special spiritual identity with St. John the Baptizer.  He "withdrew to Galilee," meaning that he left off from what he was doing and went to live in Capernaum by the sea.

Something great was about to happen.

It was the end of an era and the beginning of a new day for the nation of Israel, but, most specially, the Gentiles!

The people who sat in darkness, were now about to see a great light!

Jesus is the Light of the world.  He is the Light who is that of the gentiles (nations), the people called,  "goy’im" by the Hebrew people of God.

Now, these "gentiles" were to hear the good news of God!

The greatest work was to begin!  And, John’s work was about to end.

So, my beloved --

17  From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Repent!

What is this word?

It is a full 180 degree turning around from walking away and contrary to God’s will to walking toward and with God’s perfect will for you and me.

Repent means to change your mind and heart and behavior and live for God!

It is to walk with Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit!

And, this, my brothers and sisters, is the meaning of true reformation.

True reformation is that which allows the Holy Spirit to transform your life and my life!

It is God working in us to convert us to who God desires for us to be.  It is the surrender of our will to the perfect and loving will of God’s Love toward us all!

There were others who are our example,

18 As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
19 He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

The call of God is a call to obedience, the obedience of faith, (Cf. Romans 1:5-7ff).

Immediately -- the word is -- "eutheos," meaning, "at once."  There was no delay!  They moved, because they believed what Jesus had been talking about.  They were looking for a message that met their needs, and, God gave that message to them in the fulness of time.

God’s timing is always right!

God makes haste slowly, but, when God makes haste, it is always at the right time!  The fulness of time is always met for you and for me, beloved of God.

Jesus loves us so much that our innermost need is met by the CALL of God when we need to hear it and respond.

The question is always, how will you and I respond?  As Peter and Andrew did?

And, again, we hear,
 
21 He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them,
22 and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.

Yes, there was John and James -- the "sons of thunder."

John, this John, the young John, would become the caring saint who would be entrusted by our Lord with the Mother of the Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mater Dei!

These, too, immediately, at once, without delay, FOLLOWED JESUS.

That is the true reformation... beloved, it means FOLLOWING JESUS!

A new day had dawned.

The Kingdom of God was being proclaimed.

23  He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,  proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.

When we are touched, we are touched by the Hand of the Lord, Jesus.

God extended that hand through the Blessed Virgin Mary, Maria, our Lady, our Mother, our Queen, the Woman.

Are we not touched by the sense of the Example of Maria in Following Jesus.  She needed no reformation, because she (without sin) followed Jesus perfectly, because of the special grace of God toward her, the Mother of God.

Yet, you and I are called, as were the disciples, to follow Jesus even unto death, as with the Baptizer.

We are called, as Peter to become leaders in the Church and therefore to martyrdom.

With John and James, we are called to exile amidst great graces.

Perhaps, with James, we are called to be beheaded.

Perhaps, with Andrew, we are called to be evangelists and bring other leaders to Jesus, as he did for Peter.

Whatever our call, it is the call of Jesus to each of us.

We are CALLED to FOLLOW, because we are CALLED to CONVERSION!

Venerable Charles de Faucauld said, "The moment I realized that God existed, I knew I could not do otherwise than to live for Him alone."

St. Cyril of Jerusalem said, "You are standing in front of God and in the presence of the hosts of angels.  The Holy Spirit is about to impress his seal on each of your souls.  You are about to be pressed into the service of the great king."

What will this call to follow Jesus mean?

It will mean true reformation through the conversion of our souls into all that God desires for the best for each of us in community and communion with the Church.

We dare not deny that best destiny for our souls!

Let us walk with Maria to Jesus her Son!

St. Ambrose said, "He would never come and knock at the door unless he wished to enter; if he does not always enter, it is we who are to blame."

We must open the door and let Jesus come in, then, we will experience true reformation and walk with God.



Deus et Sanctissima.

(St. Bernadette Soubirous said -- "I must also pray, she said, for the conversion of sinners.  I asked her many times what she meant by that, but she only smiled.") ...  Let us pray with Bernadette.