Your Turn

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"They left everything and followed Him" (Luke 5:11).

Peter, James and John left their boats and possessions, even the nets Jesus had filled with the miraculous fish, to become fishers of men. They were astonished by His miracle but even more, how He had changed their hearts.

When we choose to follow Jesus completely, we too will desire detachment from our material possessions. This may seem implausible at first, but when we love Jesus with all our hearts, the decision to turn away from "things" will ultimately be made for us.

Many years ago, I consecrated myself to Jesus through the Blessed Virgin, giving her my spiritual and temporal possessions to do with what she wished, for the greater glory of God. I did so in my heart but wasn't yet willing to "let go" of my things, particularly not the 25th wedding anniversary gift from my husband, my dream car - a convertible that had become my passion on summer evenings. But I had promised Mary I'd turn it over when she was ready.

A year after my consecration, she reminded me of my promise at an evening Mass celebrating the anniversary of the Miracle at Fatima. I had parked my wheels in front of the outdoor shrine of Mary and went inside. After Mass, the parishioners gathered into a procession and were moving outdoors toward the shrine where I had unknowingly parked—they were headed straight for my car, complete with vanity plate.  I felt uneasy. Many had assembled around my car to listen to the words that were spoken by an angel to the children at Fatima. I began to recognize my own covetousness, and for the first time felt disgusted at the sight of my showy car, parked in front of Our Lady. I wanted nothing more than to leave her the keys, as we had agreed; it was rightly hers. Now she was asking for it.

No one had even noticed my humiliation or the car. They were thirsty souls, focused on the words of an angel. I saw a young nun in the crowd who had nothing but her rosary. Like Peter, James and John, she had left everything and followed Jesus.

Now it was my turn. I understood more than ever our gift of free will. By Mary's intercession, I had obtained the grace to freely respond to her Son's call to follow in the footsteps of the fishers of men.

Elizabeth