This Sunday marks the first gospel reading from the Evangelist Luke, in which Jesus calls forth his first disciples, which is an act that is always contemporary. The same Jesus of the New Testament continues to call disciples to his holy Church to this day.
The first disciples were fisherman who were concerned about making a living and were disappointed and tired when Jesus told them to “push out and go further to the deep”. Even today many are tired and exhausted with making a living and are tired and disappointed with their own circumstances and obligations when Jesus calls them to be his disciples.
Jesus is the head of the Church, he rules over the Church. He lives in our midst by the power of the Holy Spirit. He lives close to us as Lord, friend and companion. He calls old disciples to new challenges and new disciples to even greater tasks and horizons. The message of this gospel is directed to us, for each one of us who follows Jesus has a mission. He invites us to be his disciples and to undertake a mission and purpose.
What is your mission? It has been said that it costs nothing to be a Christian but after that it costs you everything. So as God gives himself to us totally in Christ; so also, He wants us to give ourselves totally to Him! This is the message of this gospel, for God wants us, not our possessions, talents time etc., but our hearts – first of all. This is the discipleship he speaks about when he called forth the first disciples.
It is with great joy that I announce that we have successfully brought the new iconostas from the Holy Trinity Parish in McAdoo, Pa., back to St. Herman’s Church. Hopefully with God’s help we will install this magnificent hand carved iconostas in the next week. Let us be forever thankful to Almighty God for the many blessings He has poured out upon our parish.
