First Reading • Isaiah 8:23—9:3
Psalm • Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
Second Reading • 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17
Gospel • Matthew 4:12-23 or 4:12-17
There are three basic ways we can choose to live when it comes to our relationship with God.
(Sign 1: “GOD DOESN’T MATTER IN MY LIFE”)
Some people live as if God does not really matter in their lives. They may believe in Him, or they may not, but in practice God makes little difference. They decide what is right and wrong. They choose their own priorities.
God does not guide their choices or shape their values. Life becomes a personal project where everything depends on human effort alone.
(Sign 2: “GOD SUPPORTS MY PLANS”)
Others believe that God exists and that He is aware of them. But instead of allowing God to guide their lives, they expect Him to support their own plans.
God becomes someone who blesses their decisions, helps them succeed, and comforts them when things go wrong, but never challenges them or calls them to change. God is present, but not in charge.
(Sign 3: “GOD LEADS MY LIFE”)
The third way is the way of the saints. It is the belief that God has a plan for our lives and for the whole world.
Our role is not to design our own path, but to trust His wisdom and surrender to His will. God is not our assistant. He is our Master. And He is closer to us than we are to ourselves.
The first two ways may bring some success, but they never truly satisfy the heart. Something always feels missing.
The third way involves sacrifice and trust, but it leads to growth, peace, and purpose. God’s dream for us is far greater than anything we could imagine for ourselves.
That brings us to today’s Gospel.
Jesus walks along the shore of the Sea of Galilee and sees Simon and Andrew casting their nets into the water. Fishing was not just their job; it was their identity, their security, their future. And Jesus simply says, “Come after me.”
He does not explain the details. He does not offer guarantees. He does not promise comfort. He simply calls them.
And the Gospel tells us they leave their nets at once and follow Him.
( the fishing net)
The net represents everything they were holding on to – their work, their income, their plans, their sense of control.
By leaving them behind, they show complete trust in Jesus. They let go of what was familiar so they could embrace something greater.
James and John respond in the same way. They leave their boat. They even leave their father behind. Their response is immediate and total.
This teaches us something very important about Christian discipleship. Jesus is not just a teacher we listen to when it is convenient.
He is the Lord whom we follow with our whole lives. There is no part of our lives that belongs only to us anymore.
Our work, our relationships, our plans, our possessions, and even our bodies belong to Him.
Following Jesus always involves some sacrifice. But sacrifice in God’s hands is never empty. It leads to deeper joy and greater purpose.
Think of marriage. A husband and wife give up some freedom to commit themselves to each other. Their time, their money, their home, and even their bodies are no longer just their own.
Yet this surrender brings love, stability, and blessing. What looks like loss becomes a gift.
The same is true when we surrender our lives to God.
It can feel frightening to let go of control. We worry about what we might lose. We fear the unknown. But whenever God asks us to give something up, it is always so that He can give us something better.
Jesus promised the fishermen, “I will make you fishers of people.” They gave up ordinary lives and became saints who changed the world. Peter became the rock of the Church. John became the beloved disciple and a great witness to Christ.
If they had said no, they might have lived comfortable, ordinary lives.
But they would never have discovered the greatness God had prepared for them.
Dear brothers and sisters, God also has a plan for each of us. He invites us to trust Him, to let go of our own narrow plans, and to allow Him to lead our lives.
When we place His will at the center of everything we do, we discover our true purpose. We grow in ways we never imagined. And we find a joy that the world cannot give.
May we have the courage to leave our nets behind and follow Jesus with trusting hearts.can transform hearts and, little by little, transform the world.t in the Father’s love.
