Follow Agad

The WORD today reminds me that I should immediately follow God when he calls me. 

People react differently when summoned. Whatever the situation is, wether it is a superior calling regarding work, or your parents telling you to do something, the reaction differs. Some would take their time and wait until the person is mad before heeding the call. Others wait two to three times of being called before following. While others follow and respond at once. This is similar to how we react with our faith. And God reminds us to respond and follow immediately. 

We should immediately respond and follow when God calls us. 

In the gospel, we saw Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John – the first four apostles, and Jesus’ closest ones. They all immediately said yes to him when he called them. No questions asked. It might be hard to imagine this. They were fishermen, what do they know about being fishers of men? But when Jesus called them, they immediately left everything to follow Him. Yes, siguro iba talaga pag si Jesus physically, personally, ang tumawag sayo. Siguro hindi rin alam ng apostles bakit sila nag yes agad. But they did, and it changed their lives forever.

Jesus may not be with us physically right now, but he never ceases to call us. He always gives us a chance to serve Him, to follow Him. It’s just up to us how we would respond. There are so many reasons preventing us from giving God our Yes. Like a lady having qualifications or characteristics to be met before giving her yes to a suitor, minsan ganun din tayo. We are sometimes waiting for the perfect time to serve or give our yes to God. Pag mas madami na akong time. Pag mas may pera na ako. Pag may na accomplish na ako sa career ko. Kapag mas magaling na ako… Unfortunately, these can easily trap us. It’s not easy to be contented, so sometimes we have the tendency not to realize that we have more than enough already. More importantly, Jesus doesn’t need these things. These self-imposed things are sometimes just our excuse for not serving Him. Jesus just wants our Yes to him

Jesus just needs our availability, he will provide the ability.

We should not ignore his call. We should not wait multiple times before we respond. We should immediately follow Him. We should respond to Him. We should learn how to trust in Him. Things may not be perfect. We may feel unprepared.  The situation may be ugly. We may still be doing and taking care of things. But we should be ready to follow Him. We should be ready to leave everything behind for him. And we should have faith in him that as he calls us, he will help and equip us. 

Do I believe that God calls me? In what ways does God call me? How do I respond to his call? Do I say yes to him, or do I give him reasons or excuses?

May we be ready and willing to immediately respond and follow God as he calls us. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for another week. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I do not immediately follow you. Sorry for the times I prioritize doing my things over following you. Sorry for waiting until I have free time before I do things for you. Increase my faith in and love for you. Help me have that faith in you that would be willing to drop everything for you. As I follow and serve you, I know you will equip me, guide me, and help me. Amen. 

Blessed Week!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

• JANUARY 9, 2022
• January 10, 2022
• JANUARY 11, 2022

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Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 305

Reading I

1 Sm 1:1-8

There was a certain man from Ramathaim, Elkanah by name,
a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim.
He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu,
son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah;
Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.
This man regularly went on pilgrimage from his city
to worship the LORD of hosts and to sacrifice to him at Shiloh,
where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas,
were ministering as priests of the LORD.
When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice,
he used to give a portion each to his wife Peninnah
and to all her sons and daughters,
but a double portion to Hannah because he loved her,
though the LORD had made her barren.
Her rival, to upset her, turned it into a constant reproach to her
that the LORD had left her barren.
This went on year after year;
each time they made their pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the LORD,
Peninnah would approach her,
and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat.
Her husband Elkanah used to ask her: 
“Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat?
Why do you grieve?
Am I not more to you than ten sons?”

Responsorial Psalm

116:12-13, 14-17, 18-19

R.        (17a)  To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R.        Alleluia.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
            for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
            and I will call upon the name of the LORD. 
R.        To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R.        Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
            in the presence of all his people. 
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
            is the death of his faithful ones.
O LORD, I am your servant;
            I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
            you have loosed my bonds.
R.        To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R.        Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
            in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD,
            in your midst, O Jerusalem.
R.        To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R.        Alleluia.

Alleluia

Mk 1:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 1:14-20

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The Kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.