3rd Sunday - Fisher of Men (Eucharist)

 

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone."

In some way we are all going from darkness to light and need to move ever more from darkness to light. It is unfortunate that we have the impression that some in our world today try to solve issues in their lives by turning away from the solution to their issues; the only answer for all the questions of our lives is Jesus.

The four individuals in our Gospel today experience the light of Jesus: Peter, Andrew, James, and John, when they were called by Jesus beside the Sea of Galilee. These four apostles were invited by Jesus to turn from fishing fish to fishing for people. They left careers and family to follow Jesus, not just mediocre careers but careers that were giving them a good income.

Jesus called the apostles, “Come after me.” It was a call firstly to spend time with Him. Jesus called them, not because they were better than others, but because He loved them. And the apostles responded because they loved Jesus, and because they loved Him, they were willing to leave everything at His words “Come after me.”

Isaiah’s prophetic text about the people of Galilee seeing the light of God was fulfilled not only eight centuries later at the time of Christ but continues to be fulfilled in our time as men continue to answer the call of Jesus to leave their boats and nets and enter seminary, to turn from fishing fish to fishing people for the Lord himself.

Jesus said, “Come after me.” Seminarians give up a career and spouse by following Him. Sometimes people talk about what seminarians leave behind to follow the Lord and enter seminary. While we know that is true, it is not the full story because when they leave everything, they gain Jesus.

Each time we listen to the Lord’s invitation in our lives, whatever that may be, each time we turn from darkness to the light of Jesus, then and only then we truly live in the land of the free, the home of those enlightened by the light of Jesus.

The reason why apostles and seminarians are able to leave everything to follow Jesus is because they loved Jesus. If they did not love Him, they would not have been able to leave everything to follow Jesus. During the Last Supper in John’s Gospel Jesus said that the Apostles love Him, “the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me.”

When one loves Jesus, suffering for Jesus does not even seem like suffering. When the apostles were interrogated by the Sanhedrin for preaching about Jesus after Pentecost, they were beaten but went home rejoicing because they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus. They were called by Jesus because He loved them, and their love of Jesus enabled them to do anything for Jesus and would even die for Him.

Our love for Jesus is seen especially by coming to Him through the sacraments. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments", and therefore, we show our love for Jesus by avoiding sin and confess our sins to Him. We feel bad because we hurt Him, whom we love.

We come to Mass as often as we are able, because we desire to be one with Jesus in Holy Communion. The Eucharist is the Sacrament of Love. During Communion our heart and His heart are intimately united. He pours His love into our hearts. The Eucharist is Jesus. He is the light. He said, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In 1991 I went to Medjugorje for the first time. Our pilgrimage group met Anka Dragan, an interpreter of Fr. Jozo. She said she was born in a Communist family and was raised as an Atheist. She had an inner desire for love and an understanding for her purpose in life. She traveled the world searching for an answer. She studied Eastern philosophy, spirituality, and still wasn't satisfied.

Then one day.... God performed a miracle of conversion in her life. Anka understood that Jesus was real; that she needed Jesus and that miracle led her to become a Catholic.

As an atheist, when she entered St. James church for the first time, she saw people going up to the front and receiving something, but she didn't know what it was. As they were leaving the altar to receive Holy Communion, she saw a light come inside them and they became light. She said, "I saw the miraculous conversion that takes place in us when we receive Holy Communion, the body and blood of Christ. Although I was in the back of the church, I heard a voice that said my name, "Anka" and the voice repeated her name again, "Anka". She said she felt Jesus personally called her by name. She left her career and everything to follow Jesus to become Catholic, because she discovered He loved her. She said, "I know that now it was the unbound-less love and mercy of God for which I am very very thankful for being a convert, for being a witness. I found what I had been looking for and searching in so many places and the entire time it was 100 meters from my home, here in the church was Jesus in the tabernacle. I am happy because I am a witness of Jesus who is God and is alive."

My friends, Jesus in the Eucharist is God. He is King of heaven and earth, and to show our love and respect to Him we now have the opportunity to receive Him kneeling at every Mass.

The Eucharistic revival brought about many graces in our own diocese. A number of parishes now use kneelers or altar rails. Holy Cross in Hutchinson, St. Patrick's in Kingman, Blessed Sacrament in Wichita, St. Joseph in McPherson are just a few that use them with Bishop Kemme's approval. I spoke with Fr. Bob, who said we could use kneelers at all Masses, but to use two kneelers. Austin Neufeld constructed two kneelers and starting today, we will begin to use them.

During Covid, scientists including a researcher in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Bergen, Norway, said, "receiving Communion on the tongue and in the kneeling position is scientifically the safest and most hygienic method, which is "unlikely to incur a high risk of infection transmission," the new research shows.

My friends, you may wish to consider kneeling and receiving Communion on the tongue.

Jesus in the Eucharist is the light. He wants us to live in the light and when we come before Him in Eucharistic Adoration or during Holy Communion, our soul glows with light and this light spreads throughout a world in darkness.

O Mary, Mother of light, guide us to Jesus the light.