To answer a calling, you must support life

If I would have been conceived 10 months later, I might not have been a "fisher of men." Jesus invites two sets of brothers today to follow him. They both come from fishing families and he invites them, "‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men,’" and "At once they left their nets and followed him."

Some readers might think I’m a young whippersnapper, but more and more I feel older around the 20-somethings. I was born in March 1972, 10 months before it became legal to take a life in the womb through abortion.

I can’t help acknowledging the reality that since the Roe v. Wade ruling Jan. 22, 1973, millions and millions of babies haven’t had the chance at life that I had. They could neither hear nor respond to the call of Christ because they were never born.

The brothers James and John and the brothers Peter and Andrew are such pivotal figures in the life of Jesus. But what if they had never been born?

Can you imagine if Zebedee and his wife had decided to end the pregnancy of St. John? Who would have taken care of Mary? If Peter had been aborted, who would have been the first pope? A person must be born to hear the call to follow Jesus. So if we desire more to answer the call, we must be pro-life.

Another pillar of answering the call to follow Jesus is the Eucharist. Psalm 27 in verse four expresses the yearning of a soul to live with the Lord and to gaze upon him:

"One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek: To dwell in the Lord’s house all the days of my life, to gaze on the Lord’s beauty, to visit his temple."

If we want vocations to the priesthood and religious life, we must beg the Lord to call followers. We must provide opportunities for young people to sit in his presence and hear that still, small voice of God calling them.

We must be examples of love and devotion to Christ in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is at the center of the life of a disciple of Jesus. If we desire more to follow Christ, the Eucharist must be the center of our lives, too.

Father Timothy Forgét is pastor of St. Jane Frances de Chantal Parish in Randolph and St. Mary of the Seven Dolors Parish in Osmond. Contact him at twforget@archomaha.org.