Dear Friend 

Reflection by Andrew Rubinich

Remember Your First Love...Your Galilee Moment

A few years ago, during an “ice-breaker” on the first day of classes, one of my classmates offered that his favorite passage in scripture came from the Book of Revelation 2:4 where Saint John, in his vision, calls the Church of Ephesus to remember its first love. The text goes: “‘I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then from what you have fallen, repent and do the works you did at first’” (Revelation 2:4-5, RSV). Since my classmate shared this passage with the class, I have kept it in my heart. About a year after my classmate shared this, I was invited to spend time in prayer with this passage on a retreat. I remember this time of prayer as very grace-filled as I recalled my walk with Jesus thus far in life.

In this Season of Lent, today we turn to look at a beautiful image of the Sea of Galilee. In it, the simplicity of nature’s beauty, yet the splendor of God’s creation can be seen. So much about this scene is captivating...the heavenly light breaking forth, the glistening of the light on the water, the birds flocking together gliding in the sky, the peace of the water that ebbs and flows, the beautiful horizon of mountains setting the background, the boat and its passengers returning to land. Beyond the splendor this picture captures, the Sea of Galilee is beautiful for another reason too. It is the place where Jesus’ disciples came to know their first love. It is the place where Jesus’ disciples had their first encounter...their first experience of his presence in their midst. Passing by the Sea of Galilee as the Gospels recount, Jesus’ disciples were called to follow him, so they left their nets and followed. They had their first moment of love for the Lord who invited them to walk with him on the road of discipleship. And what a place this encounter was had at!

If you and I are anything alike, we might find that the hopes we have for this Season of Lent might not unfold the way we would like. While there is certainly this whole season ahead of us to walk nearer to Jesus and follow him through our commitments to the Lenten pillars of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, today, perhaps we can remember our first love. Perhaps we can recall, with gratitude and fondness our first love...our “Galilee moment.” Very truly, Galilee is a beautiful place for us to return to. It is that place, that moment in which we first came to intentionally know and follow Jesus, and walk in relationship with him. In recalling our first love, maybe then we can choose not to abandon it, but rather, enter more deeply into it. In this holy time of year, maybe we can, as Saint John invites us, indeed in the character of Lent: “Remember then from what you have fallen, repent and do the works you did at first” (Revelation 2:5, RSV).

What was that “first love” or “Galilee moment” for each of us? What was it of Jesus that captured us at first? How did we initially respond to him? What is it of our first love that we might be called to return to?

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Andrew Rubinich is a Third Theology seminarian for the Archdiocese of Newark, N.J.