mamabishop: Calling Disciples

Monday, January 20, 2025

Calling Disciples

Jesus departed with his disciples to the lake, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him; for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he sternly ordered them not to make him known. He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons. So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Mark 3:7-19

In this Epiphany season, we remember our baptism and remember our call. Many folks are ordained priests and deacons this time of year. All of us are called, lay and ordained alike, to follow Jesus and put him at the center of all we do. This day, when we celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., we are also reminded that are call is also for the justice, healing and freedom of all people. Jesus called his disciples after healing a crowd of people who were crushing in on him in their great need. We are living in a world where the need is similarly great. Let us remember our baptism and our call. Let us be those who put the healing, justice and freedom for all, our first mission and daily work.

Fierce and loving Creator, you give us leaders