The Word is absurd, unless it is heard! A bit of advice, be sure to listen to the First Reading for this liturgy which speaks graficly of the physiological and psychological process of coming to belief. First an idea, then the love for that idea, followed by expressing the loved-idea in words. The speaking of that idea-word is also a love-act. If it is not spoken then there is no hearing and if there is no hearing then how can it be received, taken inside and acted upon.

Now to the wonderful Gospel reading for this feast of an apostle who heard a word amidst other noises, other words.

Two sets of brothers, fishermen all busy with their life’s labors. Now one might imagine that all four were good at what they did, but laboring can become boring, tedious and “Ho-Hum.” There is the possibility that they all had heard something about Jesus, but they had other things interesting them.

What we read and hear is rather a simple invitation from Jesus and they leave, boats, families, sure success, and the predictable familiar  and upped and followed into the opposite. All they are offered is a new manner of fishing, finding, living. They knew the familiar which can be boring, but secure. How did they ever know that they were doing the “right thing”?

Two of us here at Creighton University are guiding a class of twenty-five fourth-year students through their praying of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. These days they are praying through their calling, their vocation, their futures. Their huge question of course is how do they know they are doing what will be good, successful, fruitful and are they doing God’s Will! Now of course they wish we would bring in tea-leaves, a crystal ball or some divine hints. They all are hearing the voices of parents, friends, the surrounding cultural invitations. Of course!!!

Andrew and his fishing companions seemed to have it easier. They heard and listened and lept. Good for Andrew and all who had first-face encounters with the Word Made Flesh. They heard, listened also to something inside them and were somehow attracted to hear more. Whatever is good, we will always want more of it. The good inside us, in our souls, longs for something more always. These four heard the Word which also spoke to what we call, their “deepest desires.”

Our students find this listening to their “deepest desires” quite conflictual. In searching for these deep longings they are moved to confront their usual selfish, self-centered desires for more “fish” more success, more of the more. Andrew and his companions were forced after their beginning relationship with Jesus about these same healthy human invitations. Our students are spending their prayer-time in agonizing twistings about just how are they going to follow Jesus within the experiencing of their “deepest desires.” No easy answers in the Spiritual Exercises and in the spiritual life of hearing the Word.

God comes to us the way we, as humans, get come to. Jesus came to fishermen according to just how fishermen become attracted. He promised them something familiar and yet something new. What is the “right” thing? The “right” is deep inside, not easily available, because there are so many other voices calling, inviting, seducing. The early Apostles were “immediately” followers and later experienced their delaying reactions to the call, yet they kept on fishing. We will never know absolutely that we are doing, living, fishing and this is how we live what we believe. We believe upon what we have heard and we live as speakers of the Word by how we live. What is “right” is what we live by faith and that’s not so easy either. The Word is not absurd if lived to be heard.