Week of July 29, 2002
Ken T.

"And as he was going along by the sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men". And they immediately left the nets and followed Him.

"And as Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man, called Matthew, sitting in the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me" and he rose, and followed him."
     Mark 1:16 & Matthew 9:9

Follow me! These passages have always impressed me. I can remember as a child wondering how these men could make such a decision without speaking to family, arranging for someone to look after their house, or at least getting one change of clothes to take along. It seemed impossible that the simple phrase, "Follow Me" had the power to have those who heard it give up all their material belongings and step out into the unknown.

As an adult, these passages still cause me to pause and wonder how Simon, Andrew, and Matthew, the tax collector, were able to make such a life changing decision on the spur of the moment. There was obviously something in the way Jesus said, "Follow Me," that had special meaning. This wasn't something that was done on a whim. I think that those who followed Jesus did so because of the message of hope and love that they received through his ministry to the poor, the hungry, the sick, and those with special needs. They were willing to give up everything in order to be a part of this ministry.

Down through the ages, people have listened to this invitation of Jesus to "Follow Me." Unfortunately, too many people have simply listened and then gone off on their own. It seems to me the message we can receive from the scriptures used for this devotion is that Jesus always extends his invitation to us. Our responsibility is to listen and prayerfully ask, "How can I best follow Him." This may mean a change in our life style, a career change, ministering to others in any number of ways, becoming more involved in studying the scriptures and praying, or being receptive to a request to pitch in when assistance is needed.

Lord, help me to have the same faith exhibited by Simon, Andrew, and Matthew. Help me to follow without hesitation. Give me the faith to follow where you lead. Amen

Contributed by Kenneth T.
Published Monday July 29, 2002
Week 35 of Liturgical Year A