In today’s Gospel, Jesus called the first four apostles. Yes, we all know that, on the surface, there was nothing special or extraordinary about them. In fact, they had many shortcomings and weaknesses. But this gives hope to us. Each of us is called by the Lord at baptism and confirmation to be his Thirteenth Apostle, in a manner of speaking. You may think that there is nothing special about you, or say you are not suitable or worthy, but God calls you to make a difference to the world. God wants to use you in his plan for the salvation of the world.
Let’s take comfort from the story of Jonah who is mentioned in the First Reading. We all know his story: he was swallowed by a whale. But what we may easily forget is Jonah was swallowed by the whale because he tried to run away from his calling. It was because he heard God call him to a particular mission in life and he ran as fast as he could the other way. He did all he could to avoid his calling. But God was relentless. In the end, God won and Jonah went to Nineveh to preach. The best part is that the people of Nineveh listened to him and changed their lives! Jonah’s preaching was, in the end, a great success.
Look, also, how magnificently the apostles, apart from Judas, responded to their callings despite their imperfections. Those simple, ordinary men with dubious backgrounds and qualifications spread the Gospel of the Lord with little regard for their safety. They were willing to die – and did die – for the truth.
The call of Christ to be “fishers of men” is not only addressed to the apostles and their successors: bishops, priests and religious. Gone are the days when the laity and the ordinary people are expected only to pray, pay and obey. By virtue of our baptism all Christians are called by God who wants to use us in His plan for the salvation of the world. We are all called to spread the Gospel of the Lord with our words and our actions.
So, whether you are a man or a woman, employed or unemployed, married or single, you share in the apostolate of preaching, teaching, healing and witnessing to Christ’s teaching. Read the Bible, pray fervently, and most of all listen to the Holy Spirit.
To do the mission to be fishers of men is a risk because we do not know if we will be accepted or rejected by those we try to share the Gospel with. But this is precisely what it means to be called by God: to have a trust in Him and to know that when He calls, He calls for a reason and He calls someone in particular. He calls you. But fear not. God does not call the equipped. He equips the called. And so if you let him, he will teach you how to fish.
