Invitation to Inclusion

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today marks the start of “Ordinary Time”. The liturgical colour for this time is green. It is not “ordinary” time as compared to special times like Christmas or Easter. It is “ordinary” because it is “numbered” or “ordinal”. The weeks of ordinary time begin at 1 and will continue through the liturgical year to the high twenties or low thirties (in Nov). The count will be interrupted by seasons of Lent and Easter. Mark relates the beginning of Jesus public ministry in the event of the calling of his first disciples. This call is not presented as a lengthy discernment by religious scholars, but as a motion of fishermen from their daily work to new work with Jesus in becoming fishers of people. The attractiveness of Jesus is implied in this story. The great fear of humans, according to Rabbi Harold Kushner who was Mary Hynes's guest on CBC Tapestry, is the fear of rejection. (his new book is Conquering Fear: Living Boldly in an Uncertain World). The acceptance of Jesus of these disciples speaks to us of how we are to view and encounter the people around us. “Follow Me” is an extremely powerful and simple command and invitation to inclusion.