Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dearest Brothers and Sisters,

What a beautiful Sunday we have to reflect on the goodness of God, and how He is a shining light in the darkness. He wants us to allow His mercy to wash us clean! Just as Jesus cures physical ailments, He desires to rid us of whatever may trouble us. He therefore always patiently waits for us to return to His loving embrace and repent. He will ever so gently continue to pursue

you. It’s up to you to let Him in and receive His love. Why wait when the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Today’s Gospel highlights how intentional God is through the way He calls His Disciples. Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John are all fishermen, and Jesus calls them by saying “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” He meets them where they physically are, using language that is custom-tailored to their profession, just like He will come to you wherever you are and speak to you as His beloved child. I encourage you to try to open your eyes to the ways God is trying to particularly love you! Whether it be through a wonderful meal shared with a friend, a nice compliment from a neighbor, or a pretty view thanks to the sunset, God wants to give you good things! Even if they’re seemingly ordinary, we can start to see them through a lens of gratitude, and thus grant the love of Christ to permeate our hearts.

Notice the immediacy of the response of these men. Do you think you’d immediately drop what you were doing to follow Jesus? How admirable is their trust in Him; they believe that He is

indeed their light and salvation! While Jesus may not be asking you to surrender your whole livelihood at the moment, He may be asking you to let go of some attachment that is keeping you

from Him. How do you think the Lord is calling you to come and follow Him? Let us not permit the cross of Christ to be emptied of its meaning, as St. Paul charges in his First Letter to the Corinthians. May you love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength (Mark 12:30).

Will you come and follow me if I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same? Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known, will you let my life be grown in you and you in me? (“The Summons,” John Bell)

Giulia Mazzarelli

Penn FOCUS Missionary