The Call of the Apostles

"Come after me."  Mk 1:17

The call to discipleship comes early in Mark's gospel.  Jesus sees Simon and his brother Andrew, who were fishermen, working their trade.  He calls them and they follow.  Mark is clear, sharp and uncomplicated. The text almost seems to suggest that Simon Peter and Andrew needed to follow the Lord immediately or they would be left behind, and because nothing in the following verses offers us an explanation, we are left with a huge question. What was it that attracted the first apostles to follow Jesus? Were they simply in the right place at the right time? While answering positively to this question might seem too arbitrary for some, when we enter the question more deeply, we discover other possibilities.

Being in the right place at the right time is not always easy.  Sometimes being in the right place means standing still, not rushing about anxiously simply because we are uncomfortable. Stilling ourselves, breathing deeply, becoming aware of everything and everyone around us is the foundation for good decisions. Only when we are quiet internally and externally are we able to hear others deeply.

Furthermore, waiting patiently because we trust the person who asked us to meet her in a particular place at a particular time allows us not to fret needlessly about situations we cannot control. Could all of this be true of Simon and Andrew? We cannot say with certainty, but we do know that they heard the call of Jesus and were ready to follow. Developing daily practices of listening deeply to God and everything and everyone around us will prepare us to hear whatever it is the Lord would ask us to do.

Today, take five minutes of quiet to sit still, listen and ask for guidance.