By examining the other Gospel accounts, we can piece together enough information to suggest that Jesus knew these men and that they knew Him; or at least knew and perhaps followed His famous cousin, John the Baptist. However, we must not miss the point St. Mark is making by presenting the calling of the disciples as a sudden event. He called them and they dropped everything and followed Him. Peter was busy fishing. John was mending his fishing nets. The Church Fathers saw Peter and John as representing the active and contemplative ways of life. The larger point is that these men were called to discipleship in the midst of their lives. God calls us in the midst of life. It might have been so very tempting for these disciples upon being called to have replied that they’d be right along just as soon as they finished what they were doing. However, St. Marks makes the point that this is no way to respond to God. Our creator and redeemer will not be put on hold. There is no “call waiting” with God. We cannot assign God a place on our timetable. We cannot put God off until it’s a more convenient time to see Him. God won’t take a number and stand in line awaiting His turn.

One of the many illusions so many of us live by is that our life is going to unfold in a nice, neat, predictable fashion more or less on schedule. We just assume that we’ll move from childhood to High School which will be followed by further training and education which will be followed by gainful employment, at which point we’ll get married, have children … and then start back in going to church. Well, life doesn’t always follow the pattern we have in mind. Life doesn’t always unfold the way we think it will. More often than not, instead of unfolding, life unravels. Life is often unpredictable and downright messy. Moreover, God calls you now, right now, in the midst of the life He has given you. Your relationship with God is the defining relationship of your life and it waits on no man. God will not be postponed and He will not be compartmentalized. Another illusion is that our lives can be successfully compartmentalized into sections; sort of like a plate of food carefully arranged so that the potatoes, meat, and vegetables are all present but don’t quite touch each other. It doesn’t work that way. No, I’m not suggesting you have to bring your work home with you. I’m simply reminding you that your faith in God and your knowledge of God and your love for God is what defines you as a person. It’s what fundamentally makes you who you are and it determines how you work, how you think, and how you treat those closest to you. It determines how you play as well as how you pray. In other words, it’s what gives you integrity.