Tuesday's Text: Mark 1:14-20

The Holy Gospel for the Third Sunday after Epiphany is Mark 1:14-20.

Vocation de Saint Pierre et Saint André
by James Tissot (1836-1902) 

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, ¹⁵ and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." 

¹⁶ As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea-- for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." ¹⁸ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰ Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

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A little background:

Verses 14 and 15 give a little introduction to what will follow in Mark's Gospel.  Jesus comes to proclaim God's kingdom and what follows will show the way toward God and God's promised future.  Jesus' proclamation that the kingdom is near "demands hope: the confidence that God is for us, the trust that God care for us and guides our lives, and the conviction that God wants to share eternal life with the risen Christ in the fullness of God's kingdom" (Donahue and Harrington, The Gospel of Mark, 72).

In 16-20, Jesus calls the first disciples.  Disciple literally means "follower."  A disciple is someone who follows a leader, imitating (as best he/she can) the life of that leader.  These first followers of Jesus were fishermen, and probably fairly successful ones if they had hired men and actually owned their boat.  And yet, they leave what they have to follow the one who sought them out.  

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What is interesting to you about this story?

What questions do you have?

Where do you see good news?

Is there anything that applies to you/us today?

(Remember, there are not "right" or "wrong" answers.  This is an opportunity for us to reflect together about how the Bible's stories continue to speak to us today.)