Follow The Fishing Net

Homily – January 24, 2015 (Third Sunday of Ordinary Time - B)
Jonah 3: 1-5, 10; Psalm 25: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; 1 Corinthians 7: 29-31; Mark 1: 14-20

This is a second adaptation of the "Visit-Ask-Receive" theme as I was invited to preach at St. Mark the Evangelist Parish in Birmingham, Alabama after a great day of leading a Confirmation Retreat for the parish.

I have already slipped up on my New Years Resolution to eat better, as a few weeks ago I stepped into a local burger place. Let's just say after all of the holiday meals, I needed a burger, and it tasted great! While I was at the table I noticed one of those table top promotional cards; you know, the one's that offer you a chance to be in the super burger joint restaurant club which allows you to "earn more burger points", so that after purchasing ten hamburgers you can get a free dessert or a small fry. Any way, the promotional flyer had these three words on it, VISIT, ASK and RECEIVE, and it went on to explain that all you have to do to maximize your value in this club is to visit often and ask for that favorite menu item, and ultimately you'll receive your just reward of that free dessert or a small fry. If the slogan at the burger joint sounds good, wait until you hear what God has to offer as He invites us to VISIT, ASK and RECEIVE in a completely new and amazing way.

We’re at the beginning of Ordinary Time, and it helps to look back and take stock in where we’ve been. Advent started a journey that gave us hope, recognizing that light in the darkness, that star on the horizon, that something to strive for and journey towards. Christmas gave us the chance to reflect on the reality that Christ has come, not only into our world, but also into our hearts. His becoming flesh, and his dwelling among us has brought us a newness of life, but like the Magi who warned in their dream of King Herod’s scheme, we must go home by another way. This newness in life challenges us to change, and to consider that there are other ways of living out God’s plan! Then we came upon the River Jordan to reflect upon the baptism of Christ, our own baptism, and the mission of our lives. Baptism might seems like an event that happened in the past, but we must know that we are always being baptized as we are plunged into this new year of a life in Christ. John's baptism was one of repentance, that is a turning from, and turning towards. When the Lord met John in the Jordan, his baptism turned him from a private life and towards a public mission where Jesus went from there and baptized with the Holy Spirit, the source and power of this mission. So when we reflect on our own baptism in Christ, we too must turn from a private life to a public mission as we receive a cleansing that that allows us to turn away from death and sin, and turn towards the power of the Holy Spirit, so that Jesus' mission is our mission, Jesus' way of living is our way of living.

Finally, this past week has offered us two examples to follow in this living as Jesus did... The week began with our celebrating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who said, "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward." And just the other day, hundreds of thousands acted on that by simply walking to the nation's Capital in their March for Life. They prayed, celebrated Mass, held signs, sang songs, and shared the peacefulness that can come with our right to assemble and share in the public square the free speech and the grace of God that has guaranteed us life in God the Father, liberty through his Son Jesus Christ and a pursuit of happiness with the power of the Holy Spirit to propel us forward. You see, we are called to live out our baptism, acting upon it with the fervor of the prophet Amos who is quoted on the wall of the King Memorial down in Montgomery... "May justice surge like waters, and righteousness like an unfailing stream!

So with all of that as a backdrop, today we are called to embrace an adult Christ, who calls on us to make an adult decision to “leave our nets” for a more substantial journey of faith. Today Jesus asks us to follow and to grow in confidence so that we may do more than just allow him to pay a visit, but follow him on his way, and become better disciples. 

Utilizing John's nature of baptism, our New Year’s Resolutions allow us to turn away from last year, and look towards something great in the new year. Jesus' nature of baptism and the power of the Holy Spirit brings us into God’s own family, with his graces freely given. We are a part of the body of Christ, a dwelling place of his love, making us the holy temple that we are, and this invitation is meant for all of us. Our First Reading from Jonah changes the notion of this VISIT of ours as he was called not just to visit church, but to go forth and visit Nineveh, which was not exactly a homey place to be. "Set out... and ANNOUNCE to it the message... Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed!” Its fair to equate this with the work of Dr. King and those who Marched for Life the other day. Its not necessarily a good "welcome wagon strategy" for a stranger to enter any place pronouncing its doom or in this case, the need for significant change like an end to all racism or the legal protection of the unborn. Like Nineveh, the task before us seems huge, and it will take a long time days to walk across it, but God's message through Jonah's visit began taking root on that first day, so we too must be assured that God is working through the actions of our heroes and through our own efforts as well! 

Look at how today's Gospel defines what that effort is to be on our part. Christ's mission begins with a similar statement... "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel." Christ has come into the world and visits us in the same way. So when he asks us to "come after me", how are we to follow? Do we leave marriages and families, or jobs and commitments only to wander through the desert with a captivating mystical stranger? I'm not sure that's the point for us here today, but I do know that through our baptism we are called to follow the mission of Christ which invites us to VISIT places to proclaim God's kingdom and his love, and resolve to stay and become part of the solution in life!

This begs the question… When we are welcomed, loved and called by Christ, and choose to follow his way, what’s next? A feeling of warmth? A sense of belonging? A great sense of self worth? Absolutely. It must have felt great when Simon Peter and his brother Andrew and James and his brother John woke up the next morning only to realize that Jesus was the real deal. I'm sure when you hear the Gospel, a homily, or a motivational scripture study that reminds you that you are an awesome part of God's plan, you're glad you came for the visit, but when we stop there, which many in the Church do, then we miss out on the all the fun. Too many Christians accept the welcome of baptism, or a positive visit to church, or a great day of service visiting the local nursing home and then leave it at that... Slowly returning to their former life casting the nets like they always did. Like the burger promotion offered at the restaurant a few weeks ago, the next step is to ASK! That next morning, the four new disciples must have woken up with that feeling of "what have I gotten myself into?" But instead of just thanking Jesus for the nice reflection on what could be, they must have ASKED, is there more? Where are we going today? I know in our own journeys why we just like to visit, and stop asking questions… We’re afraid of the answer, which is to love God and one another. While we’re not afraid of the feelings of being loved, you’re not human unless you’re a little uneasy with the responsibilities that come with loving. Today's second reading adds to the challenge when St. Paul says in so many words, we're glad you're along for the journey, but we have to hurry, "for time is running out... and the world in its present form is passing away." We ASK and the answer is love, when we love one another, we begin to receive that grace that makes us want more, and want it now! To quote the end of one of my favorite films, "When Harry Met Sally", Harry looks at Sally and professes his love for her concluding that, "when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." Our baptized faith calls us to love one another, which calls for more questions on how we can help, which brings more answers, and more work and ultimately more justice.

We have had our VISIT, and have been given many opportunities to ASK what's next, or how can I help? In our baptism and in our day to day life with its struggles and successes, we are forever part of the body of Christ. I've spent the day with the Confirmation class, and their challenge is to confirm the graces and the gifts of the Holy Spirit bestowed up them at their baptism. But the basic theme of our day has been, let’s do more than just enjoy a visit with Christ every now and then. Let’s make his mission our way of life, and lets call this life in Christ our home! 

In being here, accepting this call, and making this journey, asking all of our curious questions along the way, we need to know that we RECEIVE the light of Christ. We RECEIVE him in this Eucharist. We RECEIVE the gifts of his Holy Spirit, the knowledge, understanding and wisdom; the courage and the right judgement; the piety and the wonder and awe of God. And when Christ's life and mission become our life and mission, we know that we can RECEIVE the promises of eternal life. 

So in this New Year, lets make more than just resolutions about us feeling better, or improving just our own lives. Today we must journey into this new year as confident disciples joining Christ on a mission. This year we must VISIT the poor, ASK them what they need, and help them RECEIVE the Lord himself in our actions, as we challenge the world to turn away from the things that seek to destroy us, and towards this life-giving promises of the kingdom of God!