Scripture:
1 Samuel 24:3-21
Mark 3:13-19
Reflection:
And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him.
Mark 3:13
One of the most important words of New Testament is the word "call". All of us must be "called" by God before we can belong to Him. "He called to himself those whom He wished." The word called here in Greek New Testament is proskaleo i.e. called to Himself. Without this wonderful call of Grace we can never be associated with Christ! It is a dangerous thing for us ever to forget we are vessels of His merciful invitation.
Even the whole Church is called in the Greek Scriptures eklesia which means: ex from and called i.e. called by God. The Latin uses vocatio for call from which our English word vocation comes. St Paul calls himself klētos apostolos a called apostle. It is this gracious call by Christ that makes us someone special. Christ makes us singular after the call rather than before it. His call makes us the luckiest people on earth. Oh, I know luck has nothing to do with it. It is all about the undeserved call from the eye and heart of Christ.
Being called by Christ should fill us with hope and confidence. When we are called we are gifted. We have a power to do something beautiful for God, for others, and even for self. The word of God’s call is not just an invitation but an enabling power. When Jesus called to Lazarus in the tomb, a rotting smelling corpse came alive and walked out. God can enable us to do something wonderful when he calls us.
When Jesus said his reason for coming was "not to call the righteous, but sinners", it should cause us a sense of great excitement and expectation for our future. Jesus just loves to have us do beautiful things when we are at our weakest. " I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Phl 3:14
Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.