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The people in the synagogue were astounded at Jesus’ teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. And in a dramatic demonstration of this authority, an unclean spirit recognized Jesus as the Holy One of God, and upon Jesus’ command, came out of the man he had been tormenting.
“Immediately” “Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” I find that hard to believe. People with lives to lead, families to care for, obligations to fulfill just up and leave it all behind. How can that be? How can Andrew and Simon and James and John just chuck it all? Whatever would possess them to do such a thing—without even giving it a moment’s thought?
The last few weeks we’ve hearing quite a bit about God calling people. Jesus baptized and called into his mission; Jonah; Jesus’ new disciples; Samuel, called in the night. And another call in the night, for Martin Luther King to persevere when things were the darkest. Call is clearly a major theme of this season of Epiphany.
What is it about nighttime? Things we manage to avoid in daylight come to life and demand our attention. We hear noises. We see shadows. We encounter our fears face to face. We find ourselves on edge. We go through periods of time where we lie awake night after night at the same hour. We don’t see this as a gift; instead we are annoyed by the inconvenience. We drink tea or milk, we visualize peaceful things, and if we get desperate enough we count sheep hoping we will go back to sleep. But what if it is the only time God can get through to us? Years ago I heard a sermon suggest that God wakes us up night after night to spend time with us, but we just get up and go to the bathroom and go back to bed.
End Document — St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church