Andrew and Peter responded to Jesus' call by leaving behind their fishing nets and boat to follow him. The simple sentence, "At once they left their nets and followed him" (Mt 4: 20), makes it sound smooth and easy, but it must have been harder than we might think. This was their livelihood and their profession. How would we respond to Jesus if he asked us to do the same? Both these men's "second careers" led them to accomplishments never imagined while hauling in netloads of fish. As we know, Peter became a dynamic leader and first bishop of Rome. Andrew preached in Greece, and some say even as far as Poland and Russia. Both suffered martyrdom, and the cross, X, of St. Andrew is well-known worldwide.
The question facing us today, the last day of Ordinary Time, and the vigil of Advent, is what do I need to leave behind to be a better disciple of Jesus? Is it simply something material, or is it an attitude, or a dependency, an indifference, a laziness? Let today's reflection help us to see, hear, and respond with the generosity and trust of Peter and Andrew. There is a world waiting for the change we could bring in our "second careers."
Bro. Rene
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