Follow Me

 

Second Sunday after Pentecost (2026)
Epistle: Romans 2:10-16
Gospel: Matthew 4:18-23

In this week's Gospel, we hear our Lord's famous call to His first disciples: "Follow me." It is a call not only to Peter, Andrew, James, and John, but also to each one of us. It is an invitation to leave behind the cares of the world, to let go of whatever is holding us back, and to truly follow Jesus.

This is what the Sundays after Pentecost are all about: growing and maturing as fruitful disciples of Christ. It is one reason why the Roman Church wears green during this season—to symbolize the spiritual growth that should be taking place within each of us.

"Follow me." What a simple command from Jesus, yet one that takes most of us a lifetime to fully put into practice.

We are told that Peter and his brother Andrew immediately left behind their nets and their former way of life to follow Jesus. Then we hear something even more startling: James and John immediately left their boat and even their father to follow Him as well. All four men turned their lives upside down to walk with Christ and become the first disciples of our Lord.

Could it really have been that easy? Could James and John truly have left their father behind to follow this man from Nazareth?

The Gospel says yes, but it would be a mistake to think that discipleship is easy.

In today's Epistle, St. Paul gives us an important clue about what it really means to follow Jesus. He tells the Romans—and us—that discipleship is a matter of both the heart and our actions:

"For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified... They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts."

How often have we thought about doing something, only to abandon it because our hearts were never truly in it? Think about a new diet, an exercise program, or any significant life change. If our hearts are not invested, we will likely fail.

To become "doers" rather than merely hearers, we must first embrace the truth in our hearts. Someone can encourage us repeatedly, but unless we decide to act and commit ourselves fully, nothing will change.

The same is true in our relationship with God.

We can talk about following Jesus and walking with Him, but if our hearts are not fully engaged, we are merely putting on a show. We are meeting Christ halfway. One foot remains in the boat, still tangled in the nets and concerns of this world.

Here we discover one of the hardest parts of discipleship: getting completely out of the boat.

Think about Peter himself. He left the boat that day on the Sea of Galilee, but it took him a lifetime to truly leave the nets behind. In Peter, we see ourselves. He was eager and courageous, yet he stumbled and denied Jesus three times.

How often do we do the same?

Yet Peter's story does not end in failure. He repents and returns to the Lord. When Jesus asks him, "Do you love me?" Peter responds, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you" (John 21:15).

This question provides the key to today's Gospel. Jesus asks Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" It is often our love of "these"—our possessions, comforts, sins, attachments, and addictions—that prevents us from following Christ with our whole hearts.

To become faithful disciples, we must gradually let go of these things and place Christ first.

The disciples did not leave everything behind simply because they were strong enough to do so. They left because they encountered in Jesus a love greater than anything they were leaving behind. The same grace that called them is available to us today.

Let us not be afraid to step out of our boats and walk with Jesus. He is calling each of us. All we have to do is listen and answer His call with our whole hearts.