It's God that Chooses

02-10-2019Weekly ReflectionFr. Julius Kundi

It's the prerogative of God to choose whosoever He desires to work for Him. Sometimes it doesn't matter the personality of the person, his background, age, status or even his abilities. The Bible is full of stories of how God has called people in different ways and times and even some with evident disabilities like Moses and questionable characters to carry out his task.

Last Sunday we read about the call of Jeremiah, and today we have the vocation stories of Isaiah and the apostle Peter. The scriptures tell us that in response to God's call they both left everything and followed the Lord. Note here that it's always a radical change to the new vocation and a total commitment to it. In today's gospel, we read, "They left everything: their work, their nets, their boats, their families and followed Him (v. 11).

Throughout history, we read about the religious leaders God has called to lead or deliver their communities and people. These were people with a vision, dynamic, filled with zeal, and had a powerful sense of mission. Their enthusiasm was highly contagious! Such people always attract attention, and this leads to attracting followers. These characters that God chose in history to be instruments of justice, mercy, love and compassion have been brave, daring and full of trust and faith in God. Think of Abraham who was made a new father in his old age; slow-tongued Moses who took on Pharaoh to liberate his people, the young shepherd David who was later chosen as king, and Saul the persecutor became Paul the apostle. It is clear that God does whatever God wills. He chooses both the weak and the strong to work for Him. And whoever he chooses, He consecrates and commissions.

Sad to say, today, many have the idea that this call of Christ to become ‘fishers of men’ is addressed only to the apostles and their successors (the bishops together with the priests and religious). That’s not true. Every Christian is commissioned to a ministry of love and justice by virtue of his/her baptism. It's wrong to disqualify ourselves from ever being called by God to be his instruments. The Vatican II Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium) no. 31 states very clearly that “The faithful who by baptism are incorporated into Christ’s Body and are placed in the people of God and in their own way share the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ and to the best of their ability carry on the mission of the whole Christian people in the church and in the world". Christianity is more about attracting others to share a vision of life our faith has revealed to us and we can only achieve that when we respond to the main vocation of the church, which is to evangelize.

We should not judge ourselves unworthy in the presence of the Lord as did Peter in the gospel. We should rather say, " Lord stay with me, l am a sinner. Use me as you so desire". Read today's gospel again and see how it presents a beautiful and simple picture. The gospel tells us that there is something special about a lakeside, and the presence of the odd fishing boat makes it even more attractive. As you come out of our church main entrance the first thing that catches your attention is the Lake. Let this serve as a reminder of your call always to go down the Lake and to listen to where Jesus is sending you to.

May God increase our faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ and feel us with zeal and courage for evangelism.

Fr. Julius

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