The Lord needs you

In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard considers how Jesus needs each of us to join him in his work, just as needed the first disciples whom he called away from their fishing nets.

Readings for Monday in the first week of Ordinary Time (Year 2): 1 Samuel 1.1-8; Psalm 115.12-19; Mark 1.14-20. Text of readings can be found here.

What do you need right now? A nice cup of tea, perhaps? A little nap? A riveting homily to inspire and encourage you? There is, of course, a difference between needs and wants. Do we really need the things we think we need, or do we simply want them? The whole advertising industry, which went into overdrive at Christmas, is geared to convincing people that they need certain things, and the answer, of course, is to spend lots of money in obtaining them.

When it comes to Jesus, we might not think he had any needs. After all, he was the Son of God on earth, and therefore perfect. There is an interesting line in the story of Palm Sunday, however. Jesus says to the disciples who are sent to untie the donkey, to tell the owner “the Lord needs it”. Yes, Jesus in his humanity had needs, just as he was sometimes tired, hungry, or thirsty.

The Gospel today, the call of the first disciples from Mark, speaks of Jesus’ need for companions to join him in his work. He needed others with whom to share his ministry; he couldn’t do it all on his own. And the choice of these first co-workers tells us something about the kind of person Jesus needed to join him. Simon and Andrew, and James and John, were fishermen. Not highly educated, they were simple men, who knew the realities of life and what it was like to toil all day and night to earn a living. Perhaps Jesus’ invitation met a need in them, for we are told that without hesitation, they left their fishing nets and boats and followed.

We may not always think so, but Jesus also needs us. He needs us to continue his mission of proclaiming the kingdom in our world and in our community today. He needs us to bring our own life experience to this work, just as those Gallilean fishermen did. Each and every day he calls us to join him. The question for each of us is this: like Simon, Andrew, James and John, are we ready to follow without delay?

Mass today is in St Dyfrig & St Samson, Grangetown at 6.30pm

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