This week’s reading has Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee and calling two sets of fishermen brothers. According to the presentation in Matthew, they immediately leave their nets, their homes and their livelihoods behind and go with Jesus. The first community of followers of Jesus is thus formed.
One question that quickly springs to mind is how and why these practical folk just dropped everything to follow Jesus. We suspect there is more back story (as hinted at in Luke’s and John’s accounts) but here we’re not told. A second question may be what did Jesus see in these four fishermen (as well as what they saw in Jesus). I think Jesus saw potential, courage and resilience. I wonder what qualities Jesus sees in you (perhaps these and other talents)?
This Sunday is also Australia Day, the increasingly contested day on which we celebrate ‘modern’ Australia. In doing so, we risk continuing the colonial project of suppressing indigenous people and excluding their story and their history. Let us be mindful then of how we, as part of the dominant culture, treat other groups in our society.
Download and read the whole message here (PDF):
Jesus the light of the world