Thank you for joining us for the second week of our short message series, “Hooked: Followers Fish.” I should note that the final message in this series will be in my column next weekend. That is because next weekend is the 2022 Annual Catholic Appeal Kickoff. We will be viewing a video from the Diocese about how your gift to the Annual Catholic Appeal is used to, well to use the theme of our message series, fish by supporting the various ministries and outreach programs that the Diocese runs. As a small parish it is easy for Resurrection Parish to fly under the Diocesan radar. That can be a good thing in many ways, but the one thing that gets us noticed by the Diocese every year is your generosity to the Annual Catholic Appeal – we reach our goal every year. Thank you for that.

Now back to our message. Jesus told his first followers that if they followed him, they would become fishers of men. He would teach them how to use the same skills, patience and determination they used as professional fishermen to bring people into a relationship with him. Jesus invites us to engage people with the truth of the Gospel, the truth that God so loved the world he gave us his only beloved Son. Following Jesus long enough and closely enough will bring you into a relationship with him that you will want to share with others – we call that evangelization. Evangelization is not just for church professionals, it is a basic exercise of every Christian. We have opportunities all around us, all the time, to bring people to Christ. One of the best strategies for evangelization is also very simple: invest and invite. Once you have identified someone who does not have a relationship with Jesus, invest in them by praying for them, maybe fasting for them, and spending time with them. When the time is right, the Holy Spirit will let you know it is time to invite them to church with you.

Today, we want to look at why it is essential that we bring people into a relationship with Jesus Christ. To help us we are going to look at a passage from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, “For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

This is Christianity 101 in two lines. Christ’s died in perfect obedience to his Father to pay for our disobedience. His death put us in right relationship with God. And he did it all out of love for us.

“He was buried and raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The cross in turn leads to the Resurrection, his triumph over death.

“But if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching; empty, too, your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:12-14). Jesus’ resurrection to new life proved the power of his death. His cross and resurrection redeemed the whole world.

“Now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). 

If God can raise Jesus from the dead, he can raise to life to your dead marriage, he can raise to life your dead dreams, he can raise to life your dead finances. 

Jesus’ resurrection introduces us to a new level of possibilities and potential. It changes everything, and that’s why we invite others to know him.

Jesus isn’t just the expert on religion. He is the expert on life, every aspect of it. When we’re talking about fishing we’re not talking about introducing people into a religion. We’re talking about introducing the into a relationship with the one person who understands life better than any person who has ever lived. 

That’s why followers fish.