It may have happened, that your colleagues were having a good time, and you were standing on the side. Surely you had a great desire to join the merry crowd, but something was in the way. You must have felt bad in isolation. You were satisfied other times, because you organized the fun yourself or took an active part in it.
Man does not want to live alone. He feels good and experiences joy, when he works or rests in a harmonious group. When people together strive for something and work on something, then they achieve their goal more easily than alone.
And how is our way to God ? Does everyone go to God alone, or are we going together ?
Faithful to the God of the covenant
You already know God's plan of salvation in the Old Covenant. God made use of a chosen people, he revealed himself to him and made a covenant with him, which, in God's purposes, was a preparation for the New Covenant. God wanted to conclude them with the new People of God. This covenant was foretold by the prophets. The Prophet Isaiah announced, that he will rise up in the nation of Israel ,,Servant of Yahweh ". He will gather with him "the holy remnant", that is, people faithful to God. This holy rest, that is, true worshipers of God, will grow into a new one, the holy people of God (by. From 52, 13 — 53). The Prophet Jeremiah did, that this People of God will be guided by the law written on their hearts (Jr 31, 33).
Finally the prophet Ezekiel spoke, that God would pour out His Spirit on this new People of God (This 36, 26).
Jesus gathers disciples
The predictions of the prophets were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is the foretold "Servant of Yahweh", who begins to gather a new people with him.
In the Gospel of St.. We read Matthew :
“As Jesus passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrzej, how they cast their net into the lake ; for they were fishermen. I said to them : «Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men ». They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
And when he went on from there, he saw two other brothers, James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John, how with their father Zebedee they mended their nets in a boat. He called them too. And they immediately left the boat and their father and followed Him " (Mt 4, 18-22). The evangelists report the most important events from the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus Christ. These are : baptism, staying in the desert and calling students. These events began gathering around the person of Christ, foretold by the prophets, of the new People of God. It continues to this day.
When on the third Sunday in ordinary time (year A) in the church you will hear a Gospel reading about the vocation of disciples, then Christ himself is speaking to you : s,Follow me ". This call reminds you, that you belong to the new People of God from the time of your baptism and that you must faithfully fulfill your commitment. For you have become his disciple.
Jesus chooses the Apostles
From his baptism in Jordan, Jesus went through all of Galilee. He taught in synagogues. He preached the Gospel of the Kingdom. Great crowds of people followed and listened to him. Many believed in his mission and worshiped God the Father. From among his disciples, Jesus chose some as his closest and trusted friends.
,,At that time, Jesus went up the mountain, to pray, and spent the whole night praying to God. As day approached, he called his disciples and chose twelve from among them, whom he also called apostles : Simon, whom he called Peter ; and his brother, Andrew ; James and John ; Filip and Bartholomew ; Mateusz and Tomasz ; James, son of Alphaeus, and Simon with the surname of the Zealot ; Judah, son of Jacob, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor " (Luke 6, 12-16).
So Jesus chose twelve apostles from among his disciples, i.e.. sent. He made them his friends. He stayed with them and initiated them deeper and deeper into the teaching about the Kingdom of God. Jesus distinguished among the Apostles a fisherman from Lake Gennesaret, Simon, son of Jona. He called him Peter (Petros means rock in Greek, rock).
The Election of the Apostles and the Commendation of Peter, testifies, that some of Jesus' disciples had received a special calling and a special mission to the new People of God. Ten ,,The New People of God ”is the Holy Church. He became the heir to God's promises (by. Rz 11, 5-8).
How will I answer God ?
Jesus leads people to God. He gathers them together and creates a new People of God. Through your baptism you belong to the new People of God, to church. Christ has called you, that you collaborate with Him in gathering the People of God and contribute to the development of the Kingdom of God on earth.
Do you really take this honorable calling seriously? ? What exactly should you do, to be in your surroundings (at school, in the family, among colleagues) Christ's kingdom grew ? What is your liaison with the parish, which is part of the People of God ? During the Sunday Mass. do you realise, that you are going to God with all those gathered. What are you to do, let them remind you of the words of the song :
"O Christ the King, Ruler of the world,
We always want to be yours,
To have a leader in you, in you brother,
Live forever under Your scepter.
Reign over us, Our God,
Lead the way forward with the path of light, Support with your strength, grace,
In the eternal, accept the gate ".
■ Think :
1. What the Prophets Foretold About the New People of God ?
2. In whom the prophets about the new People of God were fulfilled ?
3. How the Lord Jesus began to gather the new People of God ?
4. To whom among the disciples the Lord Jesus gave a special vocation and mission ?
5. Where Christ continues to gather his people ?
■ Remember:
28. When Jesus started gathering the new people of God ? Jesus began to gather the new People of God, that is, the Church, from the beginning of its public activity.
29. Whom Christ is calling to collaborate with in gathering the new People of God ? Christ now calls all baptized people to collaborate in gathering the new People of God.
■ Task :
1. Read about Matthew's calling (Mt 9, 9) and about the vocation of Saul (Dz 9, 1-31). What God called them to do ?
2. Try to explain, why Thomas Merton gave his book on Christian life the title : "Nobody is a lonely island" ?
Jesus Christ gathers the new People of God
