13 January 2019 – Monday of 1st week in ordinary time– Mark 1:14-20

       In today’s Gospel, Jesus proclaims the kingdom of God to the world.   He calls all of us to repent and to believe his Good News. After this proclamation, Jesus immediately calls others to be his disciples and gives them a mission to bring others into the kingdom of God.  As the first disciples, Jesus chooses fishermen, not scholars or scribes, not the Temple priests. He chooses people from the common, ordinary ranks of Jewish society.  When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not think that we have nothing to offer.  The Lord uses us for greatness in his kingdom in the midst of our flaws and weaknesses. 

         Sometimes, we get caught up in the busy, hectic schedules of our daily lives.  Sometimes, we are not sure where he is calling, where we need to serve.  It is easy to make excuses and to think that we are not worthy or that we don’t have the gifts we need.  In the quiet, still moments in our lives, and in those hectic, busy moments as well, let us hear the Lord calling us to discipleship, to those tasks where he needs us to serve.