Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’ As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit, throwing him into convulsions and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.’ At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee. Mark 1:14-28
We often see pictures of sport fishermen reeling in a big fish and ones of them weighing the big catch on a hook. We rarely see the daily work of those who fish for a living. Casting and dropping nets in all sorts of weather, cleaning the boat and all the equipment and the constant repair and maintenance it all demands. Jesus found Simon and Andrew casting and James and John mending, engaged in the tedium of their work. They were not on a mountain top, they were not in the spotlight, just going about the daily tasks of life. That is where Jesus found and called them and that is where we are found and called by our Savior. Right in the middle of our daily grind, far from the attention of crowds, far from the recognition of followers. We are invited today to see our daily "grind" as sacred, knowing that Jesus is seeking us in our most unglamorous, unpolished moments.
Gracious Creator, who loves us as we are
who seeks us out amidst the daily drudgery
who calls us to follow you with dirty hands
to fill our hearts with your love, over and over again.
The depths of winter has made us pale and weak
we are afraid we have nothing good to offer
we think we have been passed by as we wash dishes
yet there is where you find us and call us again.
Help us today to rejoice in the small tasks ahead
trusting that you will teach us and call us right here
in the midst of the least important daily moments
you promise to pass by and draw near to us all. Amen.
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