From the Gospel according to Mark 2:13-17

Jesus went out along the sea.
All the crowd came to him and he taught them.
As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus,
sitting at the customs post.
Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed Jesus.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples;
for there were many who followed him.
Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners
and tax collectors and said to his disciples,
“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus heard this and said to them,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Today we see Jesus’ call to Matthew, just as a few days ago the Gospel showed us the call of Peter and Andrew, and of James and John, while they were busy with their daily tasks: some casting their nets into the sea, others mending their nets, Matthew seated at the customs post. The Lord chooses all of them. He takes the initiative, prepares the way, goes out to meet them and invites them to follow Him, not frightened by the state in which they are, because He has come to heal the sick and to save us.

The Lord has chosen each one of us, and He comes out to meet us in the reality of our everyday lives. He does not look at how we are now, but at what we are called to become. It is up to us to be attentive and open to the call He makes to us, and to respond either by leaving our attachments behind and following Him immediately, like the disciples, or by placing conditions, like those who said to Him: “let me first go and bury my father”, or “let me first say farewell to my family”. They clung to their attachments and were unable to follow Jesus.

Spouses, are we attentive enough to recognise God’s call, and willing to follow Him, to let go of our attachments? For in order to truly follow the Lord in our marital vocation, we must be genuinely ready to leave everything behind so as to give ourselves completely to God, by giving ourselves body and soul to the person He has placed at our side, and to the fulfilment of our mission: to represent the Love of the Triune God in this world and to collaborate in the salvation of our spouse. Is there anything more beautiful? Is there any better plan? Then let us be attentive to His call — and to the mission!

Frank: Hi, Peter has called me and told me they already have a date for the next retreat and that they are looking for a team. He asked whether we could go. What do you think?
Laura: Us again?… Frank, we were already at the last one just four months ago. Remember it was a bit of a challenge… organising the children for the whole weekend, my parents… and besides, now that you and I are doing so well, maybe it would be better to plan something as a family.
Frank: Yes, that would be lovely, Laura, and we can do that another weekend. But they’ve called us for this retreat… after everything that we’ve received, I think now it’s our turn to help, rather than to get comfortable.
Laura: Yes, it’s true that we should help, but… us again?
Frank: And remember how much good it did us. We realised things we hadn’t seen during our own retreat… and the joy of seeing other couples discovering the beauty of their sacrament…
Laura: Oh Frank… it’s just that I feel a bit reluctant to go out… we’re so comfortable right now.
Frank: You know the saying… if you snooze, you lose.
Laura: Ha, ha, ha… you’re right. If we get comfortable, we go backwards.
Frank: That’s what they told us: whoever is not building, is destroying.
Laura: I thank God for you, for pulling me along and drawing me out of my comfort zone. I love you.

Mother,

teach us always to be attentive to God’s call, as You were, and willing to follow Him and to fulfil His will. Blessed and glorious are You, Mother! Praised be the Lord for ever!