Homily: January 25, 2025. Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Trust in Him)

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 “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men. At once they left their nets and followed him.”

In today’s Gospel, we witness one of the most striking moments in Scripture: the calling of the first disciples. Peter and Andrew heard Jesus’ call and immediately left their nets. James and John left not only their boats, but even their father, Zebedee, and followed Jesus.

No hesitation.

No long discussions.

No backup plans.

No questions.

Just trust.

Over the past two Sundays, the Church has been gently leading us step by step to consider our calling. On the first Sunday, we reflected on who we are: beloved children of God. On the second Sunday, we reflected on why we are here: our mission, to be a light to the nations. And today, Jesus shows us how to live that mission.

By trusting Him.

Now, if Jesus were to ask you today to do something important for His mission, how would you respond? Will you step forward immediately or will you step back and take time to think, analyze, consider the options, weigh the risks?

Personally, I am of the latter. I need time. I need to think, reflect, analyze, and pray. My usual response is “let me pray about it.” And I do, honestly. My own vocation was also not a quick decision. The call to the priesthood unfolded to me gradually, over weeks, months, and years. And during that time, as I consider and thought, something in me grew stronger: trust in Jesus.

Not everybody can be impromptu to the call of God like the first disciples. Somehow, I think most of us need time. Because we are people who do not have everything in our life figured out, and we still need to learn to trust the One who calls.

The disciples were not perfect. They were ordinary men, with many weaknesses. In the gospels, we can see clearly their fears, doubts, and failures. But when Jesus called, they responded at once. They seemed to trust Him more than their life at that instant.

God desires that same trust from us.

So how do we grow to be able to trust like that?

To trust we must know God. We don’t trust people who we do not know. 

Trust grows from relationship. God is not an idea or a force. He is a person. To trust Him, we must spend time with Him, to know who He is, what He does, how He works, why He is choosing us.

When I look back on the years of my life, through the struggles in school, family difficulties, the loss of my parents, and still with many unanswered questions, yet I can say with confidence now that God has never once abandoned me. He is always there. And the older I get, the more I trust Him. Because I can look back and see the relationship God has with me, and so I can look forward and see the security of my relationship with Him.

We trust not in circumstances, but in His promises.

He promised us that he will never leave us alone. He promised us the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He promised us eternal life.

Do you trust all His promises?

If you don’t, you need more praying.

If you feel unworthy, here is the good news: it does not matter how you have lived your life up to this point. Today, if you decide to enter into a relationship with Jesus, you will be able to experience His love, His forgiveness, and His mercy. You will discover a special joy and peace you cannot find in the world.

A friend once told me after her conversion: “Before I knew Jesus, I was a giver, trying to please everyone. After I encountered Him, I learned how much God wanted to give to me. I became a receiver with God.”

That is what happens when we begin to trust Him, we start receiving and He has so much to give us, so much more He wants to continue giving.

So let me end with something very simple and very practical for this week. To know God, we need have quiet time with Him and Him alone.

“Be still and know that I am God.” (? 46:10)

Fifteen minutes a day.

Silence.

No phone.

No noise.

Nobody else.

Just you and God.

Place everything in your life right before the Lord. And He will place everything for your life right before you.

From that quiet place, trust will grow. And when trust grows, we will find the courage like the first disciples to leave our nets and follow Him.

Amen.


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