Are you all in?

Our priest, Father George, has been gone this month and we have had visiting and retired priests filling in while he’s gone. This morning it was a pleasant surprise to find out that Father Pat O’Connor would be filling in for the next couple of weeks.

This morning’s gospel told the story of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, including the selection of some of the apostles. As Father Pat began his homily he appeared from behind the pulpit holding on to a set of poker chips. He asked the congregation if we were familiar with the game and the term, “going all in.” He proceeded to talk about how the apostles had gone “all-in” when it came to dedicating their lives to the Lord.

I didn’t really give it much thought before today, but Father Pat pointed out the anomalies between how Jesus began His ministry compared to other teachers in that day. Normally, students would be the ones to seek the teachers out to see if they were considered worthy to learn from the teacher. Jesus was the one who sought out the apostles and asked them to follow Him. Father then pointed out the difference between the apostles and other students of the time. Look at who Jesus chose….a tax collector, fishermen, someone who would eventually betray Him……..not a stellar group of guys at first glance.

However, because these men went all in, Jesus blessed them and strengthened them. He didn’t call the qualified. He qualified the called.

We’re still pretty early on in this new year. Is there something that you’ve been holding back on because you don’t feel quite ready? Have you been scared to start that project that you’ve been thinking about because you don’t feel qualified?

If Jesus taught us anything by how He began His ministry it’s that God’s plan for our lives doesn’t have to make sense. Who would have thought that group of men would have gone on to become the fathers of our faith? If we go all in with our faith in the Lord and His plan for our lives, we can have faith that we will be able to do all things through Him.