Almost every one of us is “connected” to someone else
through social media. If we use email or Facebook or Twitter
or texting or Instagram, we are connected. It may be to a few
close friends and relatives or it may be to thousands of other
cyber friends. The choice is yours but we call the process
“networking”.
In today’s first reading, Jonah travels to Nineveh with what
he sees as an impossible task: spread God’s word: repent or the
city will be destroyed. The people listened. God spared them.
Jonah’s networking was successful.
In the second reading, Paul seems to tell us to abandon our
vocation in life. That is not what he is saying at all. Remember
when this letter was written. There were lots of internal
quarrels within the early church and Paul wanted those to
be cast aside so that the people could embrace all possible
opportunities for Christ. Their job was to spread the word—to
“network”.
Today’s Gospel carries over the story from last week when
Peter and Andrew went out to see who this Jesus was. Today
Jesus tells Peter and Andrew, James and John to put down their
nets and follow him. Jesus was “Net-Working”.
So, the message is this: will we put down our “nets”—
whatever they may be and follow Christ with complete
abandon? If the answer is “yes,” then our next calling is to
begin “Net-Working” for Christ.