Breaking the Word

GOSPEL  READING  Mk 2:18-22

People love uniformity. They want everyone to follow one rule and one direction. All should be alike. This is one of the reasons why they ask the disciples about not confirming to the traditions. Also people in general are worried about others following the norms and rules rather than following the rules for themselves by themselves.

Jesus’ answer to these questions is that there is newness in the situation; there is newness in the surroundings and this newness has to be addressed with new traditions and new rules. Old rules and old traditions have had their days and they are no more relevant as the kingdom of God has set in. 

GOSPEL  READING  Jn 1:35-42

This passage gives the story of the vocation of the first disciples according to the gospel of John. In the synoptic gospels Jesus himself went around and called the disciples where as here it is not Jesus who is going around calling the disciples rather they are sent to Jesus or they follow because of the witness of the other. Here we see a different way of calling the disciples.

In the gospel of John we see the following stages through which they are called to be his disciples. They are: 1) witness by someone about Jesus (here John the Baptist bears witness Andrew and John; and later Andrew to his brother Peter); 2) they listen; 3) follow him and search (where do you live); 4) come and see; 5) stay with him. These stages add up to the “calling story”.