Come After Me
“He said to them,
‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.’”
Matthew 4:19
Is there someone in your life whose presence changed your life? Perhaps a spouse, a child, or a best friend? We can all agree, I think, that there are some people who come into our lives and leave a lasting imprint or mark. In addition to those listed above, maybe a mentor, someone whom you look up to, or a teacher. There are also some people who may come into your life and stay for only a short while, yet their impact or influence on our lives are permanent and enduring. Who are those people for you?
“Come after me” were the words Our Lord spoke to Simon and Andrew as they were casting their nets into the waters of the Sea of Galilee. These three words, and those that followed, changed the lives of Simon and Andrew forever. Notice that it was the Lord who first approached them. It was Jesus who first sought them out in the place of their work, in the place of familiarity. Then, after hearing the Lord’s invitation “Come after me” Simon and Andrew “immediately” or “at once left their nets and followed him” (Mt. 4:20). The Lord seeks, finds, and calls, but there must be a response that follows. For Simon and Andrew, it was trading in their physical nets for spiritual nets with which they will fish men, gathering people from diverse backgrounds to heed the same call they first received, “Come after me.”
Likewise, the Lord seeks us in our place of familiarity and comfortability and He invites us to accompany Him on a journey that will forever change our lives. But He will not force us or drag us. It is our choice, but we must make a decision. It is a decision that is not once and done. It is a daily choice, a momentary choice, a continuous choice. We must make the decision to choose to say “Yes, Lord, I will follow You” every day and every moment of our lives, and when we do our lives will never be the same. However, there will be times when it will be so much easier to ignore the call or even say “Not now, Lord. I’m a bit busy. I know You understand.” Those are the moments when we must pause and instead say, “Lord, I am really struggling to say yes to You today. Give me the courage to” and trust that He will.
The Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is known as the “Sunday of the Word of God,” in which we are invited to pay particular attention to the Word of God, to take a few extra moments to really listen to the Word of God with our hearts. Today we are invited to take in the words Jesus spoke to Simon and Andrew — “Come after me.” Where might the Lord be calling us? How will we respond? Let us always remember that the invitation, “Come after me,” presupposes one very important truth: the One who calls goes before us and never ceases to be with us. He says “come after me” not “go your own way” or “take this and go,” but rather, “come after me,” assuring us that it is He who leads us.
On a side note, today is also Chinese (Lunar) New Year. How providential is it that it coincides with the Sunday of the Word of God this year, prompting the people who celebrate this New Year to do so with the Word of God, to begin this new year first by listening to the Word of God and then to follow the Word who has been made flesh in our daily lives.
Brothers and sisters, the Lord comes to find us today and He says to us, “Come after me.” What will our response be?