Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
When I read the Gospels, I often imagine how I might have felt or responded if I found myself in the same circumstances as the Apostles. Today, we hear about how Simon (Peter), Andrew, James, and John all completely abandoned their livelihoods and followed the Lord. These were men who worked so that they and their families could eat. Following Jesus was a major risk in more ways than one.
So what was it about their encounter with the Lord that gave them the surety to leave it all behind? This question is likely one that cannot be answered in this mortal life, but it is still perhaps worth imagining what that encounter was like. Was it Christ’s gentle bearing that won them over? His quiet strength? His loving gaze that saw through to the heart of their deepest desires? And what would we do in that situation? How would we respond? Do we have the interior freedom to respond to the Lord’s invitations in our own lives, even if it means taking some risks?