From Hearing to Moving to Being

As we begin our Lenten Journeys, I want to remind everyone of the powerful story of Jesus calling his first disciples in Luke 5:1-11.  Jesus has been proclaiming the good news of God's love for all people; it has been a message that has excited people and begun their experience of being liberated in God's love.  But here and now, he is calling specific people not just to hear the Word but to join him in a way of life.  
Jacopo Bassano's The Miraculous Draught of Fishes is printed in your notebook.  It portrays an overwhelmed Simon Peter falling at Jesus' feet and begging him to go away, "for I am a sinful man."  This happens even as Simon's partners gather the huge catch of fish.  Of course, what is truly miraculous is not what Jesus is doing with the fish, but what Jesus is doing with them! 
Jesus does not go away, but instead tells Simon not to be afraid, for from now on he will be "catching people!"  His gifts, his personality, his hard work will be dedicated to God's glory.  When the new disciples follow Jesus, they leave the narrow limits of life as they have known it.  In the eyes and care of Jesus, they get to know themselves much better, and also the God who so loves them and continues to be creative in their lives.
Review your pages on discipleship.  And rejoice!

Good News, Release, Sight, Forgiveness

" When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, Jesus went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom.  He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him.  He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."  And he rolled up the scroll, gave to back to the attendant, and sat down.  The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon him.  Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."  --Luke 4: 16-21