0:07
beginning of the letter to the Hebrews
0:09
many times and in many ways God spoke in
0:12
times past to our fathers through the
0:13
prophets in these days which of the last
0:17
he spoke to us through the son whom he
0:19
appointed heir of all things and through
0:21
whom he also created the universe this
0:23
is the Splendor of the father's Glory
0:26
the expression of his being he sustains
0:28
the universe with a power of His word
0:31
having purged his sins he sat down at
0:34
the right hand of the Divine Majesty on
0:36
high he was placed as much above the
0:38
angels as the name he inherited
0:40
surpasses their name indeed to which of
0:43
the Angels did God ever say you are my
0:46
son today I have begotten you or even I
0:51
will be a father to him and he will be a
0:53
son to me but when he brings the
0:55
firstborn into the world God says all
0:59
the Angels must worship Him word of the
1:10
God proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
1:13
Christ according to St Mark Glory To You
1:16
Lord after John the Baptist was arrested
1:20
Jesus went to Galilee preaching the
1:22
gospel of God and saying the time has
1:24
come to an end and the kingdom of God is
1:26
at hand convert yourselves and believe
1:30
and as Jesus passed by the Sea of
1:32
Galilee he saw Simon and Andrew his
1:35
brother casting a net into the sea for
1:37
they were fisherman Jesus said to them
1:40
follow me and I will make you Fishers of
1:42
Men and they immediately left the Nets
1:45
and followed Jesus walking a little
1:48
further he also saw James and John sons
1:51
of Zebedee they were on the boat
1:54
repairing the Nets and then called them
1:57
they left their father Zebedee in the
1:59
boat with a vants and left following
2:02
Jesus word of Salvation Glory To You
2:13
Lord my dear brothers and sisters today
2:16
we are invited to contemplate the
2:18
beginning of a great love story between
2:20
God and Humanity the readings we hear
2:22
confront us with a profound and
2:24
transformative truth God who has spoken
2:27
in many ways throughout the ages has
2:30
Finally Revealed his fullness to us in
2:31
Jesus Christ and he calls us to follow
2:34
him to begin I want to tell you a little
2:37
story imagine a child who is lost in a
2:40
forest she is scared surrounded by
2:43
shadows and sounds she cannot understand
2:46
suddenly someone appears holding a
2:49
flashlight lighting the way back home
2:52
this person not only indicates the
2:53
direction but extends their hand walks
2:56
alongside the child and guides them
2:58
safely this is the image that today's
3:01
readings offer us God is not a distant
3:04
stranger but someone who has come to us
3:07
holding a light to guide us home he
3:10
didn't just point the way he himself
3:12
became the way in Jesus Christ in the
3:15
first reading from the letter to the
3:17
Hebrews we are reminded that God spoke
3:19
to our ancestors through the prophets on
3:21
many occasions and in many ways however
3:25
now he speaks to us definitively through
3:27
his son Jesus is not just another
3:30
messenger he is the very reflection of
3:32
God's glory the exact expression of his
3:35
being he upholds all things by the word
3:38
of his power let's think about this
3:41
Jesus is the Living Word of God just as
3:44
the words we use reveal our thoughts and
3:46
intentions Jesus reveals the heart and
3:49
character of God when we look at Christ
3:51
we see who God is we see the father's
3:54
compassion in Jesus acts of healing we
3:57
see Divine Mercy In the words of
3:59
forgiveness he offers we see God's
4:02
infinite love in the sacrifice of the
4:04
Cross but what does this mean for us
4:07
today it means that God deeply desires
4:10
us to know him he doesn't want to be a
4:12
distant mystery or an abstract idea he
4:16
wants a living real transformative
4:18
relationship with us and that's why
4:21
Jesus came so that we could see and
4:23
experience God in a way that would never
4:25
be possible otherwise in Mark's gospel
4:28
we see Jesus beginning his public
4:30
Ministry with a clear and Urgent Message
4:33
the time has come to an end and the
4:34
kingdom of God is at hand convert
4:37
yourselves and Believe In The Gospel
4:39
these words Echo as a call to action an
4:42
invitation to change direction to
4:44
abandon what binds us to sin and to
4:46
embrace a new life in the kingdom of God
4:49
soon after Jesus meets Simon and Andrew
4:52
fisherman on the shores of the Sea of
4:55
Galilee he calls them with a simple but
4:57
powerful phrase follow me and and I will
5:00
make you Fishers of Men and what do they
5:02
do they immediately abandon their
5:05
networks and follow him here is
5:07
something remarkable these men were
5:10
Ordinary People everyday workers like
5:13
many of us they were not rich powerful
5:16
or highly educated but when Jesus called
5:19
them they responded without hesitation
5:22
trusting that he would lead them to
5:24
something greater let us think for a
5:26
moment about the networks We Carry in
5:28
Our Lives what are the things that hold
5:30
us back that prevent us from following
5:33
Jesus with freedom and courage these
5:35
could be material concerns fears
5:38
unhealthy relationships or even
5:41
spiritual accommodation Christ's call
5:43
invites us to let go of these nets and
5:45
Trust fully in him we can imagine the
5:48
scene SEO and Andre leave everything
5:51
behind their boats their Nets their
5:55
livelihood they don't know exactly where
5:57
they are going or what awaits them but
6:00
they trust the voice of the one who
6:01
calls them and here is the mystery of
6:04
faith when we trust God and respond to
6:06
his call he transforms our lives in ways
6:09
we could never imagine Jesus promises
6:12
that these simple fishermen will become
6:14
Fishers of Men it is a rich metaphor
6:17
that points to the mission that will be
6:18
entrusted to them just as they cast
6:21
their Nets to catch fish now they would
6:23
be sent to bring people into the kingdom
6:25
of God leading them to the light and
6:27
Love Of Christ and this calling my
6:29
brothers is not reserved just for Simon
6:32
Andrew James or John it is a calling
6:36
that echoes in our hearts today Jesus
6:39
invites us to follow him to leave behind
6:41
what holds us back and to participate in
6:43
his mission of bringing the light of the
6:45
kingdom of God to the world maybe you're
6:47
thinking but I'm just an ordinary person
6:50
what can I do the answer is in today's
6:54
readings God does not look for the
6:56
powerful or the perfect he looks for
6:58
those available those who are willing to
7:01
trust and follow he transforms fishermen
7:03
into Apostles transforms ordinary lives
7:07
into extraordinary instruments of his
7:09
grace let's think of a farmer he works
7:12
with the land planting seeds and caring
7:15
for them with patience and dedication he
7:17
cannot control the weather but he knows
7:20
that the Harvest depends on his
7:21
faithfulness in doing his part so we are
7:24
also called to sew the seeds of Love
7:26
truth and Justice in our lives and in
7:28
the lives of those around us God will
7:31
take care of the rest today we are
7:34
challenged to reflect are we hearing
7:36
God's voice are we willing to cast down
7:39
our Nets and follow him are we ready to
7:42
trust him even when the path is
7:44
uncertain at the end of this reflection
7:47
I want to leave you with this image a
7:49
lantern shining on a dark night Jesus is
7:52
that light that illuminates our path
7:54
that leads us to safety and the love of
7:56
the father he calls us to follow him to
7:59
be lights in the world reflecting the
8:01
glory and love of God in everything we
8:03
do may we like Simon and Andrew respond
8:08
promptly to jesus' call may we have the
8:10
courage to abandon our Nets and trust
8:12
that he will lead us to deeper waters
8:14
and a life full of purpose and Grace may
8:17
God bless us and guide us always amen
8:29
St Michael the Archangel defend Us in
8:32
battle be our protection against the
8:34
wickedness and snares of the devil may
8:37
God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
8:41
thou o Prince of the Heavenly Host by
8:43
the power of God cast into hell Satan
8:47
and all the evil spirits who prowl
8:49
throughout the world seeking the ruin of
