When you are summoned by Jesus

Is everyone summoned by Jesus?

The scripture today from Gospel According to Mark, describes the appointment of the 12 apostles. By this time in his ministry, Jesus had many admirers, followers and disciples and from the disciples:

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted
and they came to him.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons.

Twelve Apostles by Sergey Serous

I was summoned by Jesus many times in my life up until my conversion in 2000.  I continued to resist him.  I stayed at the bottom of the mountain, scared to take even a few steps up the path.  Even after my acceptance into the Church, Jesus has run after me when I am a lost sheep, separated from his flock.

Three things stood out for me today that prescribe actions we can take as disciples of Christ Jesus:

Be with him - How can I be with Jesus?  Here are a few things that come to mind: pray to Jesus; thanksgiving to Jesus for the blessings in my life; thinking about Jesus and the examples he left to us in the scriptures from his ministry; telling stories about the life of Jesus; thinking of his mercy when I feel like being the opposite of merciful.

Send them forth to preach – The Apostles established the Church and in this generation, we are responsible to for it.  They drew people to Christianity when they lived their faith and preached the tradition that was later recorded in the Gospel.  Although few are ordained as priests (relative to the number of laity), we laity are also called to preach – to proclaim the Gospel to our family and friends, through our words, writing and actions.  We can preach by showing faith, hope and charity.

Drive out demons – I believe we all have demons.  Modern psychology calls them addictions and much like the demons referred to in the Gospels, our modern demons run our lives.  We bow down and worship them and this makes Satan happy as he uses my addictions to drive a wedge between God and me.  Through grace God can drive out our demons.  We can keep them away through prayer and penance.

Let us pray to be like the Apostles when we are summoned by Jesus.

Thank you for reading today.  I continue to pray each day for the intentions of the readers of these words.  If you would like pray for a specific intention, please leave it in the comments below or send it to me directly.

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You might also like these related posts from cinhosa:

Drop everything and join me

Bring your brother

3 benefits of fasting

9 ways to ascend the mountain

Today we remember Saint Fabian.

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• Jesus called his disciples and chose twelve apostles (worryisuseless.wordpress.com)
• Light and Darkness: Experiencing God (frted.wordpress.com)
• Former Vicar Brings Miraculous Healing to Modern Readers (prweb.com)