Jesus said, “Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” They abandoned their nets and followed Him. That is such an amazing statement describing the calling of the first four apostles.
The highest form of praise is to listen and obey. When the Lord says, “Come, after me!” or He says, ‘Go home and tell your families what the Lord has done for them,’ or ‘tell no one.’ He speaks with authority and offers the fullness of truth.
Recent events in the nation’s capital have shaken our confidence in the durability of our democracy and respect for our sacred institutions of government. Maybe you too have had difficult discussions with family members, friends, neighbors about the election outcome and the competing understandings of what led to mob violence in Washington. In a heated phone conversation with my own brother who is smart, and whom I respect and love, we had to agree to disagree. Then he asked a very good question, “Where can I go to get the truth?” Not the cable news stations, social media or newspapers. All have a bias and an agenda. There is no Walter Cronkite anymore. At the conclusion of similar discussions, I like to end it with: “Thank God our faith is not in politics but in Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
In the first reading today, the author says, “In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways through our ancestors, the prophets; in these last days, He spoke to us through the Son.”
Where do we go to find the truth? To the Word of God Himself, to his Holy Spirit protecting the Church from errors in its teaching on faith and morals. This may not provide the complete and concrete answers to the present dilemmas in our country and world. However, it gives us instruments of grace to seek always after the truth, based on facts and reliable sources.
The sudden conversion of the first four apostles from fishermen to fishers of men, is stunning! Face to face with the Word of God, they recognized the truth and followed Him for that reason. I pray for our nation today, for the truth to come forth and prevail, for responsible leaders to step forward and speak up and lead the way in peace.
Let us also pray for our families who may be divided over politics and ideology. Come what may, families should not let such differences separate them from one another and from the truth of Jesus. Amen.
- Father Willy's inspirational homily was recorded live this morning during Mass at the Father Peyton Center. Please view the video on our Facebook page. (You don't need a Facebook account to view.)
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