3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time B, January 24, 2021; Jon 3:1-5, 10; 1 Cor 7:29-31; Mk 1:14-20
A few weeks ago we celebrated Epiphany and we heard about the Magi “the wise men” that came to find Jesus. Well, there’s a legend about the wise men that you may not have heard. The legend has it that the three wise men were of three different ages.
Caspar was a very young man, Balthazar was middle-aged, and Melchior was an old man. When they got to Bethlehem and found the place where the Savior was, they initially went in to see him - one at a time. First, Melchior, the old man, went in. Inside there was only an old man Melchior’s age. This made Melchior feel right at home. They spoke together of memory and gratitude. Then Melchior came out.
Next, the middle-aged Balthazar went in. Once inside, Balthazar met a middle-aged teacher. They talked passionately about leadership and responsibility. Then Balthazar came out. Finally, the young Caspar went in. There Caspar met a young prophet and they spoke words of reform and promise.
When Caspar came out the three wise men gathered their gifts and went back in together. Once inside there was no one else there but an infant, the baby Jesus, and his parents, Joseph and Mary. Sometime later the three wise men reflected on what had happened and they began to understand.
The Savior speaks to every stage of life: The old hear the call to integrity and wisdom. The middle-aged hear the call to influence and responsibility. And the young hear the call to identity and relationship. In the Gospel we see Jesus making his final call to four of his disciples: Peter, John, James, and Andrew - Fishermen who left everything to follow Jesus.
It’s possible that these four disciples were of different ages. There is no doubt that they were of different degrees of faith. In other words - they were just like us when they heard God’s call.
You can bet that the apostles had no idea exactly what that call from God would mean. You can bet that they didn’t know how difficult it would be and the great responsibility that would be placed on their shoulders. And yet - they still answered the call to follow.
Each of us receives our call too: to the single life, to married life, to religious life, to the diaconate, or even to the priesthood. The call comes no matter what age we are. The call comes no matter where we are or what degree of faith we might have, just like the Apostles. It’s a call to a personal vocation and no matter which one we answer - it’s also a call to discipleship.
Each of us is here because of a call, an invitation. Like the wise men of the legend, most of us have gone in and had an encounter with the Lord. Some are still waiting outside, not sure of what to expect, fearful of what it might mean. But regardless of where we are physically, spiritually, or emotionally, we can all come together as one body, one people, and bring our gifts, ourselves, to the savior who waits patiently for us.
Jesus is waiting for us to come in and join with his family in a celebration - a thanksgiving feast. Will we be content to remain just outside, at the entrance, looking in? Or are we ready to accept Jesus’ invitation to a real relationship with him? I hope that we are because we, and our world, really need it.