Jesus calls fishermen to follow him on his Way, “’Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.”
Jesus is gathering commoners to co-create the Community of God. It will be the transforming witness to the military culture dominating them. At that time the dominate military culture was Rome. But other societies, and the Judaic society too, dominate via Militarism. Militarism’s mission is to dominate all societies and all commoners, across the world. Some people are more willing or more able than others to take risks that free themselves, their families, and their communities from Militarism. Jesus’ Community of God is such a risk. Jesus’ mission cannot be erroneously considered as only a personal or local endeavor. It intends people’s freedom from Militarism across the world. Early disciples, like all of us, could be erroneous in some ideas and thinking about the Community of God. But the knowledge is there that we are taking a risk. We are converting Militarists. We are co-creating something expansive, transformative. That the early disciples, again and again and again, left everything and followed Jesus is a fitting response. The people who call that fitting response reckless, know Militarism and fear Militarism. But they do not know Jesus, nor do they risk following Jesus on his Way that frees us from Militarism. Militarism divides us into compliant individuals for obedience in a cult that worships supremacists; father, husband, master class and its president, etcetera. Jesus is gathering people who already live in communion to witness an ever-expanding conscientious authority in communion. Militarism believes its supremacists can use people and resources for capital gain to covet and hoard as they choose. Jesus is continually sharing ideas, wisdom, food, resources with others in the community so that their impoverished lives become sufficient lives, even abundant lives. Militarism lives by an ethical code of violence as a saving act. Jesus lives as a healing power and draws that same power forth from others. Militarism is ravaging the U.S. culture. It is bizarrely doing so in Jesus’ name. Coalescing around the title MAGA, self-titled Christians, like J.D. Vance, prove they are afraid of Jesus and afraid of following him, “There’s this old school — and I think it’s a very Christian concept, by the way — that you love your family and then you love your neighbor and then you love your community and then you love your fellow citizens and your own country, and then after that you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world.” Unlike early disciples, J.D. Vance and his MAGA cohort have not “left everything and followed Jesus.” All they say and do proves they have left everything – their conscience, their moral reasoning, their moral actions – and followed Militarism. They want us to invert our lives, forsake Jesus’ Way of courage and its risks. They want us to be dominated, impoverished, and violated like they are. But we are not afraid.
“Be not afraid I go before you always Come, follow me and I will give you rest. If you pass through raging waters in the sea You shall not drown. If you walk amid the burning flames You shall not be harmed. If you stand before the power of hell And death is at your side Know that I am with you through it all… And if wicked men insult and hate All because of me, Blessed, blessed are you.” (Be Not Afraid – Robert J Dufford)
Prayer: Beautiful Spirit, guide me to speak courageous words and take courageous actions.
Question: What are my fears in speech and action and what practices can I begin to overcome them?
February 09, 2025 Gospel Luke 5:1-11 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time