The Call to Follow: Becoming Fishers of Men
Fr. Nicholas explores the profound call of Christ to become "fishers of men," emphasizing faith, obedience, and transformation. He challenges us to examine our lives and respond to Christ's call with faith and freedom, urging us to live as true citizens of His kingdom.
Transcript
In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.
"Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Our Lord begins His public ministry not in a palace, not among scholars, but by the Sea of Galilee among simple fishermen. This is no accident, for as St. John Chrysostom says, He calls the unlearned that no one may attribute the power of the gospel to human wisdom. Christ seeks faith, not credentials. He seeks obedience, not eloquence.
We often wait to feel ready or qualified before serving God, but God does not call the equipped; He equips the called.
"Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." This call is not just for Peter and Andrew. It is for you and for me, for every Orthodox Christian who has been baptized and chrismated into Christ. St. Gregory the Great reminds us, "Just as fishermen draw fish from the depths, so apostles draw souls from the depths of sin." This gospel is a commission not only to the apostles but to all of us to become co-workers with Christ, pulling souls into the light not by force but by love.
The question each of us needs to answer is: What kind of nets are you casting into the world? Or are you not casting nets? Do you appear at liturgy on Sunday and throughout the week continue on from where you left off? Orthodoxy is a way of life, a life lived in Christ. All that we do is focused on Christ. Our life in Christ can be the beacon to others; it can be the net to draw others to Christ.
Twice we hear the disciples immediately left their nets, and in the case of James and John, they even left their father in the boat. St. Augustine says, "They did not yet see miracles nor hear promises of glory, but their hearts were set on fire by His mere voice." What an incredible degree of faith. The question to challenge each of us: If that had been me, how would I have responded?
What are the nets you're holding on to? Our nets may be addictions, distractions, resentments, or they may be careers, comfort, family expectations, sport, entertainment, online games, online groups. But they are all still things we place before Christ. Discipleship demands freedom, not from life, but from that which enslaves our heart.
This passage ends with a picture of the early ministry of Jesus. He teaches in synagogues, preaches the kingdom, and heals all diseases. This is the three-fold ministry of the church: teach with faithfulness, preach with boldness, and heal with compassion. Too often we reduce the church to a place of moral rules or personal peace, but the gospel is a kingdom, and it comes with power, not the power of domination, but the power to make whole.
Our journey with Christ is moving us towards becoming truly human. We often forget that this world is broken and fractured, and so we see it as normal. This is how the secular world understands. It is within the church, the body of Christ, that we find healing. The church is a hospital for the wounded, those wounded by sin, and it is in the church through the services and sacraments that we receive healing.
So what does this mean for us today? Parents, are you forming your home to be a place where your children can hear Christ's voice and follow Him? Teenagers, are you asking what Christ is calling you to, or only what the world wants from you? And everyone, what nets must you leave behind today?
This gospel is a mirror. It reveals that the call to follow Christ comes in the ordinary moment. For the apostles, it was in their everyday activity of fishing. What is the ordinary moment that Christ is going to call us this week? As we see in today's gospel, it requires reading; it requires and it also demands an extraordinary response. The apostles left their livelihood and family. How are we going to respond to Christ's calling this week?
When Christ says follow me, He is not just inviting us to walk behind Him. He's calling us to become like Him, to live as citizens of His kingdom here and now. Let us respond as the apostles did, not with hesitation, but with faith, fire, and freedom. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.
Amen.
