From the Pastor&
As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fisherman.  He said to them, "Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.  At once they left their nets and followed him.  He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.  They were in a boat, with their father Zebedel, mending their nets.  He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.    -- Gospel of Matthew 4:18-22


All four of the gospels tell us about the call of the first disciples of Jesus.  In the 18th chapter of Luke, Peter reminds Jesus "We have left all things and followed you."  Can you imagine Jesus in our times, walking along the Sea of Galilee, talking to American youth?  "Hey!  Come follow me-- check it out!  We'll meet a few times, at your convenience, and talk things over.  If you don't like my ideas, I'll understand.  I don't want to ask too much of you.  Just a little time and some effort.  Oh, by the way, I am ushering in the reign of God."  I don't think so!  Jesus always asks one for everything.
The call from Jesus is not simply a call to learn a lot of knowledge.  It is, in the words of the Scripture scholar, Donald Senior, CP, "a call to a relationship with Jesus that never ceases."  To be a disciple of Christ is to share in his ministry and his style of life.  The first disciples were incredibly human.  They came from ordinary backgrounds.  Often, they did not understand Jesus' message.  They wanted prestige, and they even deserted Jesus in his final hours.  But they were reconciled with the Master after the resurrection.  As Fr. Senior says, "in the face of the Master they failed, the disciples detected the infinite compassion of God, and they committed this memory to the church."
The first disciples of Jesus challenge and encourage us.  They challenge us to give ourselves wholeheartedly to the person of Jesus Christ and his mission.  They encourage us to trust in his compassion when we fall short.
Do you think of yourself as a disciple of the Teacher, Jesus Christ?  I'm afraid to admit it, but I think most Catholics see themselves not as disciples, but as members of a church.  Once, to be a member meant responsibility to the parish as a follower of Christ.  Now, membership is like so many other memberships:  book clubs, country clubs, health clubs, garden clubs, bridge clubs, etc.  We join, we get good deals, and we expect privileges.
Why would someone join St. John's or any other parish?  Are they looking to get something?  Does membership simply mean a Mass now and then, a minimal amount of participation in parish life?  A dollar in the collection plate on Christmas and Easter?  To be a disciple of the Master demands much more.
To be a person of faith, to belong to Christ, to be a member of His Church, one must pray everyday, read Scripture, weekly worship, involvement in parish life and other ministries beyond the parish, commitment to spiritual growth, and giving of our time, talents, money, and other resources to God.
As pastor of St. John's, I would be a failure if I didn't have high expectations for you and myself as disciples of the Son of God, our Savior and Lord.  Like Peter we have to say, "We have left all to follow you, Jesus."
Does this make sense to you?

Fr. Bill