This weekend, the third Sunday of the Ordinary Time, our readings remind us of the brevity of time in this world and the urgency to respond to God’s call. In the first reading, Jonah lamented and warned the Ninevites: “Only forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed.” In the second reading, Paul wrote, “Our time is growing short…for the world is passing away!” In today’s gospel, Christ preached the same urgent message: “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the good news.” The readings also presented God, who invited people from different walks of life to follow him. People, notably Jonah and Paul, the disciple, heard him and responded to the urgent call for change and repentance. They made a transformative change in their lives.

In our Gospel reading, Jesus extended the invitation to follow him to a group of fishermen.
Nowadays, if you apply for an important position, you must submit a CV or resume outlining your educational qualifications and experiences. Then, interviewers will ask about you and test your competency to ensure you are fit for the job.

Jesus, in contrast, moves along the lakeshore of Galilee, meets dozens of fishermen and finally picks Simon, Andrew, James, and John. They have no relevant experience or training for the scope of the job, which is to preach the Good News to the whole world.

The disciples heard Jesus’ message, believed in it, and urgently responded to the invitation. There is no more time to waste; the Kingdom of God is at hand. We see metanoia, that radical change and transformation of life. These men followed Jesus even though they did not know where they were going. That was total trust.

Our way of following the Lord has been made much easier by the disciples and those who came before us, our saints and martyrs who offered so much during the foundational years of Christianity.

We may not be called to the same journey, but we are invited to trust in Jesus in our daily work. Jesus continues to ask us to participate in His mission: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Fishers of Men implies partnering in the Kingdom and collaborating in Jesus’ ministry. The Kingdom of God is near and invites reflection on the presence and reality of God’s Kingdom in our lives and world. Our response to it should be urgent and positive. We should not say, Lord, I will do it next year or in five years when I finish my project. We should respond now, proclaim Jesus, and live as witnesses to the Good News wherever we are. Being hopeful, peaceful, joyful, and faithful should reflect our way of life.

We may not be called like the disciples to be martyrs or to go to difficult places and leave our families and work behind us. We do not need to have an impressive CV to follow the Lord. The only qualification is our willingness to follow a transformative journey and change our life’s direction to align with His mission.

Our time is short, and we will leave what we have. We must use this short time to be with the Lord with a sense of urgency. Our world is passing away, and the Kingdom of God is close. Why waste time?