Moments

A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, January 21st, 2024:
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Mark
1.14-20

After John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea — for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

As Jesus went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

What does it mean to be a fisher of people? How do I share the good news?

When I first began reflecting on this reading, I was stuck on the feeling that I’m no good at evangelizing because I tend not to speak openly about my faith or my personal relationship with Jesus Christ outside of our church community. For instance, a lot of people know I’m a church musician, but not how central God actually is to my life.

But as I shared this with my partner, he challenged me: rather than reflecting on my own feelings of inferiority, he helped me see the opposite reality in my actions. In particular, my partner noted how my music touches people’s lives in ways that I’m not always aware of. 

Since I became an organist, I’ve invited people from all walks of my life to come and hear the organ, whether at Mass, in a formal recital, or at Holy Hour, which is an endeavour that my partner and I recently started and lead together. I’ve played the organ for school friends who no longer go to church, but ask if I can play that hymn that always reminds them of their grandmother. I’ve invited architecture enthusiasts from my local coffee shop to come to Christmas Midnight Mass, because they’re curious to hear the mighty organ reverberate through the beautiful Cathedral.

So many people love music. When an old colleague asked if any musical events were happening at the Cathedral this past Christmas, I invited her to drop by a Holy Hour, which was a mixture of prayer, reflective time, and music (singing and pipe organ). She did stop by and later told me how beautiful and spiritual she had found the quiet time. She expressed gratefulness for an event like Holy Hour, because it helped get her “in the door,” so to speak. Another old friend, non-church-going, has been following my journey with the pipe organ for years but never been able to come and hear it due to his work schedule. Recently, he was able to stop by Holy Hour. To my great surprise, he stayed almost two hours, and shared with me how the silence, beauty, and mystery was impacting his heart in an inexplicable way.

My partner reminded me that while evangelization can mean talking explicitly about Jesus, it can also be as simple as inviting others to have an opportunity to encounter Christ, to partake in a moment and share in the beauty of the Church. I am learning that through music, I can share how much I know that I am loved by the Father and perhaps give others a moment to open their hearts to Him, too. Each of these moments is a moment of evangelization.

Our Heavenly Father knows each of us by name. He knows our strengths, our weaknesses, and most importantly our hearts. I think the lesson for me this week is that the Good News can be shared in many ways. God knows how best He can use me and my heart to touch others’ hearts — to be a fisher of people. And He knows how, and by whom, my heart can best be reached, too. Let us continue to share our hearts, our gifts, and our talents, and give each other moments to encounter our risen Lord, Jesus Christ!




Kim Tan

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