by Paul O'Reilly, SJ
"Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men."
Hands up anyone here who would like to be arrested, tortured and killed?
Hmmm...
I'm not seeing many hands.
In fact, I'm not seeing any hands.
I think that's an important question because that's basically the question that Jesus is asking today. Listen to that again...
"After John the Baptist had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee." And he goes to begin recruiting his disciples to follow John's example. And, true, he does not actually say "Hands up anyone here who would like to be arrested, tortured and killed?" But that is essentially the invitation he offers. Quite frankly, I think it's amazing he got twelve takers.
Sometimes the Kingdom of God asks us to go to places we would rather not go and do jobs we would rather not do. Pope John XXIII is supposed to have said to a man who wanted to become a martyr, "Become a teacher, it is much more difficult."
Well, when I was a boy I went to a Jesuit school. As everyone knows, Jesuit schools are famous for their iron discipline. Amongst our teachers was Brother X, a young Jesuit in training what we call a "scholastic". He was a good and holy man, but as he would admit, he wasn't the best at maintaining discipline. In fact you always knew exactly where he was teaching in the school simply by listening for where the loudest noise was coming from. And frequently children could be seen escaping from his classroom via the windows and on one memorable occasion when the class decided to re-enact Mark 2.1-12 (look it up!) via the roof. Nevertheless, like a good and holy Jesuit, he stuck grimly to his task.
One day I remember walking past the class where he was teaching. A particularly loud riot seemed to be going on inside. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I got the distinct impression that the walls of the room were bulging slightly with the noise that was coming from within. And then I heard Brother X's voice squealing high above the hub-ub: "I will not be put in my own waste-paper basket¼ Heeeelp!" followed by a thud.
You see, we used to have large wicker baskets with handles. And if you were ever so unchristian as to fold someone up, push him into the basket and put a broom-handle across the two handles, then he was trapped and there was nothing he could do about it.
About 40 minutes later, a somewhat dusty Brother X was released by the headmaster who had come to investigate why class 4c was rioting in the playground when they should have been studying geography. Somehow, no-one was really surprised when, after ordination, Father X found himself called to work in a parish rather than a school.
Many years later, as his brother in the Lord, I spoke to him about that day. He still has vivid memories. He still has no desire to return to a career in teaching. But he would do it all again for the joy he has found in a life of service to the Lord. I am so proud to be able to call him my brother!
Let us stand and profess our Faith in God who calls us all to play our part in building His Kingdom.
Let us stand and profess our Faith in God from whom all Good things come.
Mount Street Jesuit Centre,
114 Mount Street,
London SW1K 3AH.
ENGLAND.
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