DAY TWO | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14
Mark 1:16-20
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
REFLECTION
Jesus enters into Capernaum along the coast of the Sea of Galilee. This is where Jesus will call his new home city and where he initially seeks out his first disciples. All four of them are fishermen. Interestingly, Jesus’ call to them was not the call of John, to repent and face a new future. Instead, Jesus’ call to them was to “Come and follow.” Now they did have to make a sacrifice. They did have to leave their nets to follow him. We think of the fishermen as poor, but perhaps they had more wealth than we think. After all, they did have a boat and they did have hired men. Perhaps their sacrifice to give it all up would be high. Leaving a successful family business. Leaving their way of life. Leaving their father. They are called to break ties with their past and take up a new trade. This was a call toward total dedication to the mission.
And what was that mission? Fishing for people. There is a deep fear of the water among Israelite people. The water throughout Scripture represents, chaos in the creation story, the dead sea swallowing the Egyptian army, Jonah being cast overboard into the waters. The water was seen as a symbol of evil or loss. To fish for people is rescue them from the chaos, bondage, rebellion. Because Jesus had come, now was the time to do as the old hymn says, “rescue the perishing.” The disciples have given up everything and demonstrate through their actions how to respond to the peril that humans find themselves in. To follow Jesus is to understand this reality and requires a radical and total response.
Mark 1:16-20
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
REFLECTION
Jesus enters into Capernaum along the coast of the Sea of Galilee. This is where Jesus will call his new home city and where he initially seeks out his first disciples. All four of them are fishermen. Interestingly, Jesus’ call to them was not the call of John, to repent and face a new future. Instead, Jesus’ call to them was to “Come and follow.” Now they did have to make a sacrifice. They did have to leave their nets to follow him. We think of the fishermen as poor, but perhaps they had more wealth than we think. After all, they did have a boat and they did have hired men. Perhaps their sacrifice to give it all up would be high. Leaving a successful family business. Leaving their way of life. Leaving their father. They are called to break ties with their past and take up a new trade. This was a call toward total dedication to the mission.
And what was that mission? Fishing for people. There is a deep fear of the water among Israelite people. The water throughout Scripture represents, chaos in the creation story, the dead sea swallowing the Egyptian army, Jonah being cast overboard into the waters. The water was seen as a symbol of evil or loss. To fish for people is rescue them from the chaos, bondage, rebellion. Because Jesus had come, now was the time to do as the old hymn says, “rescue the perishing.” The disciples have given up everything and demonstrate through their actions how to respond to the peril that humans find themselves in. To follow Jesus is to understand this reality and requires a radical and total response.