It is 13th January 2020. We celebrate the memorial of St. Hilary, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. The readings are from 1 Samuel 1:1-8 and the Gospel from Mark 1:14-20. God does extraordinary things with the ordinary and trustworthy persons. Simple things are spectacular and inspiring. God chooses the least to perform the greatest things. Fruitfulness cannot be possible without faithfulness. We are all called to be fruitful indeed. We have an account of barrenness in Hannah, in the first reading. Her faithfulness to God brought the desired fruitfulness. We all have some sort of spiritual barrenness, if not physical one. In married life, couples choose to be barren on account of career, life-style and other reasons they hold dearer than child-bearing. Hence the married life turns to be dull, boring and fruitless. Being faithful to the Lord alone can open the streams of life within and around. The responsorial Psalm praises, “A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.” (Ps.115:17). In the Gospel, Jesus calls the fishermen to be fruitful ministers of the Gospel. “Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men. And at once they left their nets and followed Him.” (Mk.1:17). Jesus calls us even today to be fruitful person. To be a disciple of Jesus means to have disciplined life with the willingness to let go and repent of the past. The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand and therefore repent and believe the Gospel. Believing and repenting are the fruitfulness of a follower of Jesus. “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.” (Ps 62:1). Once we have responded to the call of Jesus, we will never be the same again. The encounter with Jesus brings the exuberance in us. Jesus met Peter, Andrew, James and John. He changed their life-direction. To have direction towards God, one needs to leave what was treasured individually. God wants to us through Jesus for the welfare of the humanity and for God’s glory. Are we ready to collaborate with Jesus in order to glorify God. May you have a good day. God bless you.