The call to discipleship

Today I want to look at the call to discipleship and the different callings that people have received from God. The call to discipleship is my topic today.

One day, in early February, in the year 627 BC, Jeremiah was walking through a field when he noticed blossoms on the almond trees. He decided to pick some blossoms and take them home to his mother. While he was picking the blossoms he heard the voice of God saying, “Before you were born, I consecrated you. Yes, Jeremiah, I consecrated you to be a prophet.” Jeremiah replied, “Not me, Lord. I can’t do it. I’m only a teenager.” Then God said, “I consecrated you for this mission and you will do very well.” “I don’t think so.” Jeremiah said. “I’m only a teenager. I’m not clever enough to win arguments with the rulers of our nation and the rulers of other nations.” “You will do just fine.” God said. “I will be with you and watching over you. Just remember that I spoke to you by the almond tree. The almond tree is sometimes called the “watching tree.” That should remind you that I will always be watching over you.” Then Jeremiah reluctantly said Yes to God’s call to be a servant in His kingdom.

I share that story because it reminds us that God calls teenagers to be active disciples in His kingdom….. Giving witness to Gospel values in every situation.

God also calls senior citizens to discipleship. Sarah and Abraham were providing shade for three strangers who were traveling through the desert on a hot summer day. And they were providing these travelers with food and water. Sarah and Abraham served a meal to three people who were total strangers. And lo and behold the strangers turned out to be angels. Yes! They were messengers from God. The Lord God had sent them to announce that they would have a child before their return trip the following year. Sarah and Abraham were living in retirement when God called them to become parents and they agreed to accept that call. Salvation history reveals to us that God calls teenagers and senior citizens and everyone in between.

God calls everyone to be a disciple. In today’s Gospel Jesus calls fishermen to be his disciples. He visits with Peter and Andrew and James and John and he calls them to become his disciples. Before they met Jesus they were quite content with their careers as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. They were not looking for any career changes. But Jesus came along and called them to become his disciples and serve his Kingdom.

Jesus called them to pursue something more important than their careers. He called them to serve a higher goal: the goal of building up the community of faith. Jesus said, “Follow me.” and he took them to see the beggars and the rich, the healthy and the sick, and the Pharisees and the outcasts.

Jesus said to his disciples, “Help me to pull all of these people together into one family. Help me to make it perfectly clear to the world that everyone belongs to God’s family.” His disciples said Yes to that call. It meant a big sacrifice. They had to leave behind their careers and everything that they loved to do. But with a cheerful disposition and a willing spirit, they said Yes when Jesus called them to serve the common good and to build up his kingdom and to change the world.

Moving forward to January of 2026. Recently Pope Leo has called everyone to become a disciple to those who are sick or homebound. He was very deliberate and careful to say EVERYONE. He said “everyone” many times in his letter. Those who are sick and those who are homebound experience spend a lot of time alone. They have bouts of loneliness because they are cut off from many normal human activities. There are so many activities that they just can’t get to. So we have to go to them as Jesus did in today’s gospel. And when we do that we must be good listeners. Don’t dominate the conversation. Listen carefully as they speak about their experiences. And when we can’t see them physically we can send cards and letters and email messages and text messages.

The main thing in this form of discipleship is to stay in relationship with those who are sick or homebound. And the mystery of it all is that this form of discipleship helps to relieve some of the loneliness that we are suffering. Reaching out to others relieves some of our loneliness. I will close with this thought: Jesus called Peter and Andrew and James and John to be his disciples. In fact, Jesus calls everyone to be a disciple and Pope Leo says that disciples reach out to serve those who are sick or homebound in their families and in their communities.