By Fr. Glenn Jones:

An Indiana Jones fan will likely remember our column’s title today as the humorous and superlative understatement from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”, in which the ancient knight compliments Indy on his wisdom in discerning the true Holy Grail … which the villain’s erroneous choice had, just a moment before, resulted in his having … shall we say … “unfortunate” consequences. Ah, young people … the great movies you may have missed!

That cinematic episode came to mind while reviewing the Gospel reading for the Catholic Mass this Sunday (Matthew 4:12-23) in which Jesus calls His first disciples from their fishing nets to follow Him. The Gospel tells us that Jesus had moved from Nazareth to Capernaum on the sea of Galilee—a very highly-populated area—making a definitive and symbolic break with His old, quiet life in Nazareth to His new public life and mission in bringing the Gospel to the world. It was this region of Galilee (“land of Zebulun and Naphtali”—the tribes of Israel which had settled there) which was where the prophet Isaiah had said: “…the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,”…a light which we Christians see as Jesus Himself—a light not just for the people of the time, but for the whole world, and forever.

In the aforementioned Gospel, Jesus calls Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” One might imagine their perplexity (“Who? Me?!”). After all, they were nobody special—not rich … not educated … certainly not influential … of no worldly importance whatever. Simple hard-working fishermen trying to support their families. But now … choose wisely, lads! And they do, consciously deciding to cease living routine, safe, comfortable lives, dropping their nets and setting off on a new life following Him … to eventually carry His teachings to the world even unto martyrdom, which testifies to the actuality of what they had seen, heard and did.

And … to do what? To heal the sick, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to teach others the same. To teach God to those who do not yet know God.

Each of us has to make that same decision—to intentionally follow Christ … the Good … in our lives. Or not. Goodness is not simply a passive thing which happens to us; we have to actively choose it and DO it … being among the wise who build on the foundation of rock (Matthew 7:24-25). This is what Simon and Andrew, James and John, and literally billions of others have done over 2000 years—making that conscious choice to drop their nets and follow Jesus … to become intentional, purpose-filled disciples.

We can never repay God for His gifts to us. As St. Paul tells us: “What have you that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7) Our intellect, abilities and even our drive are gifts from God—“talents” to invest for the Master who has entrusted them with us (Matthew 25). Some are given more than others, but that makes no difference. The greater our ability simply indicates the greater our responsibility to be good stewards of what we’ve been given—not for selfish interests, but looking also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:4).

How we express our gratitude and love for God most perfectly is by our fidelity and service—fidelity to His teaching, and by leading others to Him through word, example and charity. And how does God respond? He grants us even greater gifts … not necessarily money or power or fame, but rather things of infinitely more worth: His grace, His love, the fulfillment of His promise of salvation and eternal life.

St. James tells us: “…the sun rises…and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So will the rich [and we could add “the famous, the beautiful, the powerful”] fade away…” (James 1:11) Not only Christians, but anyone who gives thought to one’s end realize the futility of working myopically for the things of the world that we inevitably lose, and the wisdom of pursuing that which endures. “Remember, Man, that you are dust, and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19)

So, then … what’s the point of obsessive self-glorification? General MacArthur echoed James: “Old soldiers…fade away.” Eventually we ALL become old soldiers, so to speak … falling out of life’s active column … lagging behind and fading away in that inexorable march of time. Just visit a nursing home and see those who were YOU just a few decades ago … and whom you will become: the formerly rich and powerful, brilliant and influential, succumbing to invincible, pitiless time. Even our greatest ones of the past are hardly remembered.

And so … we ALL must make that conscious choice to “drop our nets” … or not … either to work only for ourselves and inevitably fading away, or—like Peter and Andrew and the rest—to forget self for the higher ideal, and thus become in some way immortal even here on earth … the “pay it forward” which might influence someone even generations hence by some good and charitable action done now. The temporal “butterfly effect”. For Christians, that means becoming intentionally purpose-filled disciples … or not.

Jesus’ call to the ordinary men shows us that we don’t have to be brilliant, beautiful, wealthy or powerful to serve God. As St. Paul writes: “…consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong…” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27)

So think about what you like to do … what your gifts are. And then ask yourself: “How can I use this to serve God and neighbor? How can I drop the nets of daily routine even for a little while and follow Jesus wholeheartedly … and seek Good?” For discipleship is not static; it is an activity. And no one is not called to it.

Our Catholic Mass ends directly after Holy Communion because of the grace given in that Communion—a grace to strengthen us to go on mission to spread the Gospel of charity, love and salvation to the world. The older Latin dismissal was “Ite, missa est”—“Go! You are sent” … to utilize the grace given, else we are the worthless servant who buries his talent in the ground uselessly … to be called to account accordingly. (Matthew 25 again)

We read in scripture: “It was [God] who created man in the beginning, and He left him in the power of his own inclination…to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice…Before a man are life and death, and whichever he chooses will be given to him.” (Sirach 15:14-17)

So … choose wisely. Make that leap into active discipleship … actively working for the good … that leap of faith. Seeing the resultant joy of others whom you’ve aided cannot but provide a fulfillment … a joy… an adventure… that you would never have believed possible. A joy that resounds and extends into eternal life.

Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.