The Gospel of Matthew 4:12-23
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
Let us Pray: God of dawn and calling, You enter the places where shadows linger and kindle light that cannot be overcome. Turn our hearts toward your kingdom and free us from the nets that hold us back. Give us courage to follow your voice, to walk with you into the lives of those who sit in darkness, and to share your healing, your hope, and your joy. Make us fishers of people— not through force, but through compassion, not through pressure, but through presence. Let your kingdom draw near through us. Amen.
In today’s world we have choices. We have the choice of hearing the words of Jesus when he says follow me, or we can listen to false voices who are trying to convince us that we should listen to their voices. Remember what the mythical Sirens did by luring in sailors. Some of these sweet voices of politicians we hear are trying to get us to support their programs and their corrupted versions of what it truly means to follow Jesus. Remember from last week’s Gospel Jesus invited us “to come and see” Are we prepared to go and see with Jesus as the four fishermen on the Sea of Galilee or will be listen to the Sirens? It can be difficult to hear God’s call. There are so many other places in our lives and world that make a lot of noise, too, in hopes that we will follow. Our work, it seems, is to discern which of these follow me are from God, and which might be from places that don’t quite lead us down the same path of discipleship. Matthew brings us into a moment of profound transition. Jesus steps into public ministry not from a place of comfort or triumph, but immediately after John the Baptist’s arrest. The shadow of injustice becomes the backdrop for the dawning of hope. Galilee was a region marked by political instability, cultural mixing, and spiritual weariness. It was the kind of place where people felt forgotten. Jesus begins His ministry there. Jesus walks along the Sea of Galilee and calls ordinary workers, fishermen, to follow him. What stands out is the quickness of their response, “Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” What they left were their nets and their boats. Their nets symbolized their life, they represented their livelihood, their security, their identity and the closeness of family, by leaving it showed their trust, they stepped into a future shaped not by self-determination but by divine invitation. Jesus gave them a new purpose: to fish for people. He took the skills they presumably already had, fishing, and used their abilities and skills to help them learn how to be disciples. He revealed to them the holistic nature of the kingdom of God. The holistic nature of Jesus’ ministry shapes the mind through teaching, stirs the heart through understanding, and restores the body and community by healing. Jesus did not separate spiritual life from physical or social realities. The kingdom touches everything. Remember, Jesus wants us to hear, He wants us to fish for people, too. That means that Jesus wants us to tell others about what He has done for us and what He wants to do for them. Are you ready to be a disciple and respond to “Follow me”?
Let us Pray: You speak to us in many ways, through rushing wind or still small voice, in Scripture’s Word or through your Grace and we in turn find many ways, to hear the world’s insistent voice break through the silence and take your place. Forgive our sin. Help us hear your voice above the clamor of this world, recognize the difference and follow only you. Amen
Reflections by Bob 