Extraordinary in Ordinary
Jesus said to Peter and Andrew, James and John, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:12-23.
We have entered into the Ordinary Time in the Liturgical Year two weeks ago. Already today is the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Ordinary time takes the biggest part of the whole Liturgical Year, having as many as 34 weeks while Christmas season has only two weeks, Advent has four weeks, Lent six weeks and Easter eight. Christmas, Advent, Lent and Easter may be very important but so also is the Ordinary Time. For it is in the ordinary that one’s worth is proven.
Don Bosco, whose novena starts today, told Dominic Savio that in order to become a saint one has to do only the ordinary things but in an extraordinary manner. There is no need for big sacrifices like skipping food as catholics do on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. To do one’s duties everyday is hard enough like going to work for a father, or cooking, washing and cleaning for a mother, or studying for the son or daughter. In doing these things ordinary that we prove our holiness.
Isaiah in the first reading foretold the arrival of the Messiah in saying that “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.” Is 8:23—9:3
In the gospel Jesus fulfilled this when he started going about preaching the gospel to the people in Capernaum. Jesus also called His four apostles to help in this task. Peter and Andrew, James and John might have been only uneducated fishermen. But they performed very well because Jesus was with them. In truth it was all because of Jesus that the mission was fulfilled.
Thus St. Paul told us in his letter to Corinth that it did not matter whether it was Apollos or Paul that preached because like in the case of the apostles it is always the Lord who makes everything succeed. 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17
God uses ordinary people to do the extraordinary.
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