Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
You know that feeling when you hear a song for the first time and it just hits differently? Maybe it’s the drums for you. The way the beat makes you want to get off your feet and pull out all your trendy dance moves. Or maybe it’s the bass line or the whole song in its entirety. The way all the parts just blend together so perfectly that it makes you feel a certain way. It’s one of the greatest feelings.
Music has a certain effect. It can help elevate our mood. The way people can vibe to the same song at a concert without even knowing each other. Music transcends language and cultural barriers. I’ve always been amazed at how an artist, who doesn’t even know you personally, can help you perfectly express how you feel with their songs. How can someone we don’t know have that much of an effect on us? Whatever your answer is to that question, we all have that one artist that we keep going back to. We follow them because of the impact their music has had on our lives.
This is very similar to how the first disciples followed Jesus at the start of his ministry. In this week’s Gospel, we hear Jesus say, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” That’s apparently all it took for Simon and Andrew to follow Him. We don’t know for sure whether they had seen Him around and were familiar with Him, or if that was in fact the first time they laid eyes on Him, but whichever the case, Jesus extends a brief invitation, and it was powerful enough that they left what they were doing to go follow Him. Then Jesus sees James and John fishing with their father. The Gospel goes on to say, “Then He called them. So, they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed Him.” Imagine being so moved by someone, enough for you to leave your family behind? That’s how deep Jesus’ impact was on the people that He met. His presence, words and message of love was so strong that it moved people to action.
Jesus’ presence and His call to us makes us feel that instant connection, and in a much more powerful and intimate way than we feel with that great new song and its artist. Whether we first feel His presence in a new way at a retreat, a Mass, a hike out in nature, a soup kitchen, or in the people around us, that encounter can change us and make us want to develop a closer relationship with Him. It might not be as epic of a scene as with the first disciples, but if we keep our hearts open to building a relationship with Him and following His teachings, our faith will continue to grow to new heights.
During his ministry, Jesus was able to bring people together from all walks of life. He ministered to people who were outcasts in society. He extended his hand to those who were sick and dying. He welcomed the sinners and walked with those who had little faith. He walked alongside people because of the immense love that he has for us. A love so great that He was willing to sacrifice His very own life for us to save us from our sins. I’d listen to that song on repeat.
