One evening as we gathered with our fellow pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, we discussed a story where Jesus appealed to a group of fishermen who immediately left their nets and followed him:

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him (Mark 1:16-20).

Why did these blue collar men drop their livelihoods to immediately follow a teacher named Jesus?

Perhaps in a mysterious way they perceived the one calling them. The Lord of the universe beckoned. The one who molded them in their mother’s wombs revealed a glimmer of depth. A dawning sense of completeness swelled within them.

I have no idea what it would be like to look into the eyes of Jesus, the Alpha and the Omega, and hear him say Come, follow me.

But I have a feeling he’d be hard to resist.

Camino de Santiago 2023

Photo from the fish market in Tetouan, Morocco