¹² Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee;
¹³ and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Caper'na-um by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,
¹⁴ that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
¹⁵ "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles--
¹⁶ the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."
¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
¹⁸ As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
¹⁹ And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
²⁰ Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
²¹ And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.
²² Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
²³ And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.

• "Kingdom of heaven" is identical to "Kingdom of God." At that time and even now, the Jews avoid the word "God" out of respect. Other words or circumlocations were used to convey the same meaning.
• It is through the Church that Christ, and thus God, is present among all people. Through the Church, Christ calls everyone to eternal salvation. Kingdom of God is therefore the Church between the first and second coming of Christ.
• Jesus was a good strategist. He had a keen sense for geography, timing and people:
  * Galilee was at the crossroads of the area. Major highways from Egypt to Syria ran through this area. Galilee was a small area but very fertile, and it had a large population. The smallest village had more than 15,000 people. Capernaum, considered to be the base of Jesus' ministry, was a Galilean medium-size town of different nationalities on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
  * Jesus called the fishermen during the off-season, when men commonly leave their fishing to others for awhile to follow some group interest.
  * According to John 4:35-42, Simon, Andrew, James and John had met Jesus before this episode.
• Because of Jerusalem, the Judeans looked down on the Galileans as "country bumkins." Since Nazareth was in Galilee, Jesus was considered a Galilean.

• Fishery at the time of Jesus' public ministry was a major industry at the Sea of Galilee. Simon, Andrew, James and John probably were not poor folks but successful business men with a secure and stable lifestyle. Nets, boats, and family ties were signs of success among peer groups.

• Traditionally, disciples sought out a Rabbi to learn about the Law in order to become Rabbis themselves. In contrast, Jesus, a Rabbi, seeks disciples. Other Rabbis teach the Law. Jesus preaches the new Kingdom of God and seeks personal loyalty to His way..
• Synagogue was like a town center where the Jews gathered for community activities and religious ceremonies, e.g., teaching, administering of the Law, punishment. These religious ceremonies are not sacrificial in nature; sacrifices could be performed only in the temple.

BUILDING THE KINGDOM OF GOD TOGETHER WITH CHRIST

Jesus announced the beginning of the new Kingdom of God, which is on this earth. Penance and repentance are the prerequisites to enter this kingdom. This Kingdom of LOVE and HOLINESS is for all regardless of race or nationality. By this announcement, our Lord implies that God has intervened in a special way to save mankind. He also implies that we must be open to God's grace and reform our ways; we must take side, either with Him or against Him. Signified by the calling of Simon, Andrew, James and John into the Kingdom of God, Jesus invites us to join Him as His companions to participate in building the Kingdom of God. It is a mission.

1. Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James and John when He PASSED by as they were carrying on their daily tasks. Can I recognize God's call in my daily life to be His companion? Has God ever called on me?

2. Contemplate the attitude of Simon, Andrew, James and John when Jesus invited them to follow Him when He PASSED by. What would be my attitude in responding to God's calling?

3. The Church is the Kingdom of God now. How do I feel about the Church? In the concept of ministry and mission, what have I contributed in building the Church?

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A synthesis by the Vietnamese Christian Life (Dong Hanh) Community