CEBU, Philippines - All of us have experienced certain "turning points" in our lives. Even when we were in our mother's womb before we saw the light of day, we reached a "turning point," when after nine months of warmth and comfort, we had to be born into this world.
Then, after we lived in the security and watchful care of our parents or ya-yas for 5 to 7 years, we reached another transition point. We had to leave home for at least part of the day to be introduced to strangers in the life of nursery or grade school, and later on high school and college.
Then as a young graduate, we had to adjust to the challenge of new friends and the working environment in our career. Another big "turning point" for most of us is when we get married and begin to journey together with our spouses for the rest our lives. And the final transition in life will be our departure from this life to the next.
Without these transitions or "turning points," growth will not be possible. But every transition means some kind of dying or letting go of the familiar and the comfortable to venture into the unknown.
It means stretching our "comfort zone" to reach out to the unfamiliar and the uncomfortable. But once we get used to it, we gain a greater area of freedom. Growth has taken place.
Today's Gospel reading shows us a "turning point" in the lives of five persons:
1. First, Jesus leaving Nazareth to begin his public ministry. The arrest of John the Baptizer was the signal for this new stage in the life of Jesus. It's time to leave his mother, his trade as a carpenter, his residence in Nazareth to begin his mission of preaching the good news and of healing the sick and possessed.
The departure from Nazareth and the people among whom he grew up for 30 years must be painful and difficult for Jesus. Yet, his commitment to doing the will of the Father led him to begin his mission without any question.
2. Next, we see two pairs of brothers, Peter and Andrew, James and John. They leave their livelihood and family. As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Peter and Andrew casting a net into the sea. Jesus calls out to them, "Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matt. 4: 19) And as he walked farther down, he saw James and his brother, John. He calls to them too, "Follow me."
For these disciples, as for Jesus, this call to a new stage of life must have been painful and challenging. They are asked to leave their family, friends and relatives, their security, their means of livelihood to follow a call that is not clearly explained to them. Yet they went ahead with it. Peter, Andrew, James, and John certainly gave up a lot when they accepted the invitation of Jesus to follow him and become his closest co-workers.
But they also got a lot in return. They gave up the comfort of a home and a stable, familiar life, but they got in return an unpredictable life filled with adventure. They gave up their source of income, but got in return the satisfaction of participating in the mission of Jesus, doing something that would be lasting and significant. They gave up a life that would end 20 to 50 years or so for a life that would never end.
How does all this touch us at a practical level? First, it tells us that Jesus didn't always choose the most talented and most likely people to be his closest associates. He often chose the most unlikely - at least in our eyes.
Second, it tells us that Jesus looks beyond what we are to what we can become. He is not interested so much in our past as he is in our future. He is not interested so much in our liabilities as in our possibilities. He is not interested so much in our ability as he is in our availability.
3. Finally, it tells us that each of us without exception is a candidate to be called by Jesus to work with him in a special way for the spread of God's kingdom on earth. Whether we answer that call or not is another question.
All the various events of our lives can be seen as a call to greater growth. But growing up is painful. We are usually not too eager to give up our security, the familiar and the comfortable to venture out to what is unknown and uncertain.
What may help us is to look at the end result of human growth: the risen Jesus in all the glory of a man who accepted at each step the pain of going forth into the destiny prepared by God for him.
To each one of us Jesus says, "Share with me in my pain and you will share one day in my glory." This much is certain. If we respond to the call of Jesus, we will have to give up certain things, but we will also receive certain things in return. And what we receive will outweigh, by far, what we give up. We have Jesus' own promise for that. He told his disciples: "[Whoever follows me] will receive a hundred times more and will be given eternal life." Matt. 19:29)
This promise already finds a partial fulfillment in those people, who accept to grow at the various stages of their lives. They are integrated, whole, serene, and happy. The promise of Jesus can be relied on.
Today Jesus still calls to us "Come, follow me. And I will make you fishers of people." This call may not be necessarily to be priests, religious, or sisters - perhaps to some, - but not to most of us. But certainly he calls everyone to be his follower, to be a genuine Christian, to be a light shining in the darkness of this world.
And that too means "turning points." His message was "Reform your lives…" "Repent…" "Be converted…."
What does this mean? Perhaps to most of us, it means "Stop being a Christian in name. Change, take the next step, and be a Christian in fact and reality. Live like a Christian."
Perhaps Jesus is asking you to be more involved in the work of the Church. Or perhaps the question is "How can I be more Christ-like in my relationship. I have been caring for myself and my family for many years, I want to be more involved in the work of the Church for the poor."
"Reform your lives…" and "Come follow me…" can mean "Change your way of thinking."
Concretely, what is Jesus asking of you? I do not know. But I know that for some, it may mean getting to know Jesus better through the Gospels and the Sacraments.
For others it may mean getting involved in the activities of the parish. And still for others it may mean ministering more generously to the needy, or to take better care of the employees, or to work more honestly and diligently.
If we surrender ourselves to him, he can do wonders with us, just as he transformed the simple fishermen to be the foundation of his Church the fishers of people.