REFLECTIONS ON THIS SUNDAYS GOSPEL BY FR BEL R SAN LUIS, SVD The Laity are fishers, too by Fr. Bel R. San Luis, SVD January 24, 2014 Share this: Three classmates in high school met in a class reunion. “In our town,” said the first, a doctor, “people call me ‘Monsignor’ because I am a lay minister.” The second, a lawyer, bragged: “Well, I’m a charismatic elder. I give spiritual talks so everybody calls me ‘Cardinal’.” * * * Unimpressed, the third said: “I’m a sales representative going from house to house; I serve as collector at Mass. People call me ‘GOD.’” “What, God? How come!” his friends asked. “You see, when I knock at the doors of my customers and they see me,” the sales rep said, “they exclaim, “My God, my God, you again!” * * * The gospel of this 3rd Sunday relates about Jesus calling his first apostles – a band of simple fishermen. “They left everything” – their work, their boats, their families – and followed Him (Mt. 4:19-20). This formed the core group on which Christ founded His Church. Unfortunately, many have the idea that the call of Christ is addressed only to the apostles and their successors: Popes, bishops, and priests. * * * That’s not true. Every Christian is commissioned to a ministry of healing, preaching, and teaching by virtue of his or her baptism. Those professionals in the funny story above demonstrate this. The Decree on the Laity of Vatican II states: “Incorporated into Christ’s Mystical Body through baptism and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit through confirmation, the LAITY are assigned to the apostolate by the Lord Himself” (3). * * * How can you be an apostle of Christ or “fisher of men”? You can do this concretely by participating in church works in your parish. Today there are numerous lay Catholics who sacrifice time, talent, and treasure for the church, rendering services as eucharistic lay ministers, lectors, collectors, choir members, catechists, social workers. Then there are those involved in church and renewal organizations: The Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Women’s League, Marriage Encounter, Couples for Christ, to mention some. * * * Of course, the most basic and effective form of being a fisher of people is through the TESTIMONY of Christian living or witnessing to Christ’s teachings. The British TV journalist Malcolm Muggeridge was a celebrity who did not care much about God and religion. He did something he swore he would never do — become a Catholic. * * * What led to his conversion? He had an assignment to write about Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Travelling to India, Muggeridge thought the trip was just the usual work but the amazing thing was in the course of his talks and days of observation of the kindly nun, he experienced a change of heart. Muggeridge said: “Words cannot express how much I owe her. She showed me Christianity in action.” * * * Ask yourself: Would a lukewarm and non-Christian be so edified by your way of life as to want to become a Christian or a better one? As Christ’s “fishermen,” what are you doing in building His Kingdom on earth based on love, justice, truth, and unity?
Posted on: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 02:54:30 +0000