One of the songs we sang in the Christmas season at church had a repetitive line in it: “And the world took a turn.” That line has stayed on my mind throughout the season. Something happens…and life changes or we change. God came to earth in the person of Jesus and the world, the history of the world, was different. The shepherds who saw the angels knew something was different. So did the Magi who traveled from the East.
But did the parents of the Holy Innocents know the world had changed? Probably not. They experienced the cruelty of the world as it was. Powerless parents, they probably just knew soldiers came and killed their babies. Did King Herod know that, in spite of his efforts, the world had changed for the good? Probably not.
I hear people say, “People resist change.” That can be true. Yet, sometimes we are ready for change and embrace it. What makes the difference? What makes the world turn?
The World Takes a Turn in Today’s Readings
It is a hard world for Hannah in the first reading. Her problem is personal and bitter. She is barren. Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, is not. (Having more than one wife was optional in the culture—you couldn’t divorce a wife, but you could have more than one.) Even though Hannah’s husband is accepting of her barrenness, Hannah is angry. Peninnah taunts her. The family goes up to worship God once a year. Hannah’s anger at her lot in life is so strong when she goes to worship that she cannot even eat the rare treat of meat from the sacrifice.
The world is about to turn for Hannah…for Jewish history…and the future history of Christianity, including us. We will find out about that tomorrow. Today the world is turning; Hannah is not aware of it yet. She wants change, but she remains helpless to play her part in bringing it about.
Jesus, Andrew, Peter, James, and John are moving into change. We are in the Gospel of Mark. Daily Gospel readings will be from the Gospel of Mark until Lent begins in late February. Mark is the Gospel that Twitter would love. It gives the bare bones story of Jesus public ministry and death. Today in Mark’s version of Jesus’ call to the first four disciples the story line is simple: Jesus walks by the initial four as they mend their fishing nets. He says, “Follow me.” They get up, leave everything they’ve known, and become fishers of men.
It Wasn’t That Simple
Details in other gospels expand the story to give us a clearer picture of how the world is turning for these men. They, like Hannah, had been looking for their world to turn. The Gospel of Luke puts the call of Peter, Andrew, James and John after some miracles in Capernaum, including the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law and many others—at Peter’s house. (Luke 4: 31-41). It then has Jesus teaching from Peter’s boat and the miraculous catch of fish (Luke 5: 1-7). THEN Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John to follow him.
The Gospel of John adds that Andrew was one of John’s disciples. He heard John say, “Behold the Lamb of God” when Jesus passed by, and spent the day with Jesus. Andrew, then, told Peter (who must have been at the Jordan, too) “Come and see. We have found the Messiah.” (John 1: 29-42)
So, the call from Jesus to Peter, Andrew, James, and John did not come out of the blue. Events in their lives set the stage for the call to come.
Metanoia
A call from God is always a metanoia. Metanoia is a Greek word that the church has used through the ages for conversion. It means literally “to turn.” It is a turning toward God. My graduate paper at St. Meinrad was on metanoia. It fascinates me. Just as a therapist I want to know, “How can I help people change for good?” in their family lives, now I want to know, “How can I help people change for good in their relationship with God?”
Those who have studied metanoia through the years tell us that metanoia BEGINS with God. God starts to soften our hearts. He starts to create openings in our minds. He creates dissatisfaction with how our lives are—like Hannah. He puts people and events in our lives that get our attention and open us up—like Andrew, Peter, James, and John.
Then there is a moment of what the Psalm today calls “a sacrifice of praise.” There is a moment when, fully aware or not, we turn to God in recognition “God is God. God is my hope and my salvation. I will praise him. I will worship him.”
Then God fills us. Metanoia happens. We turn. We turn toward God with openness to him. We repent—radically or in some small but important way. Sometimes we know it immediately. Sometimes awareness comes slowly.
And the world turns.
God’s Job—And Ours
The thought that has come to me through all this Christmas season musing is a variation on “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” Conversion is a creation of something new. Creation is God’s job. Conversion is a change of heart, a turning from sin and habits that lead away from God, to admission and habits that lead toward God. That is God’s job.
BUT responding to those promptings, those inner urges, “Go pray,” “Give that up,” “Tell the WHOLE story to God,”–I can respond to them. I can leave my nets and follow.
AND encouraging people to do what Hannah will do in Tuesday’s reading and what Jesus did before calling his first disciples–that is my job. I can listen for where God is speaking through person, event, or prayer I can invite friends to come join in when I find someone who draws me to God. I can PRAY WITH SACRIFICES OF PRAISE—all those are my jobs.
Pope Francis said it beautifully in an address on Saturday: “Worship means going to Jesus without a list of petitions, but with one request alone: to abide with Him. In worship, we allow Jesus to heal and change us.”
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for the reminder today to focus on You and let You create the change. This fascination these past few weeks with how You create change in the world—what is it about? Are You bringing changes about in me? Lord, help me to get out of the way and let You work. Help me to worship without a list—to be in Your Presence praising You. Help me abide in You.
