(Audio)
Jesus went up to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
Before calling the disciples to himself Jesus spent an entire night in prayer to God. Most probably it was not because of any uncertainty on his part about who was chosen to be with him. Rather he wanted to set an example of how his followers should attempt to discern important decisions. Since Jesus was the maximal and best example we might not always imitate him perfectly down to the last detail. It might not always be necessary to spend an entire night in prayer before making a crucial choice. But it is hard to avoid the impression that at least some time should be spent. This meant that, for his followers, choices were not merely to be based on cost-benefit analysis or the forecast of likely future outcomes, but also open to the genuine wisdom and spiritual insight that God might choose to give. They weren't just a matter of logic or theology but were meant to be discussed in relationship with one wiser than ourselves, whose ways are not our ways, and whose thoughts are not our thoughts (see Isaiah 55:8).
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles
The disciples had the reassurance that the fact that they had been chosen was not a spur of the moment or unconsidered decision by Jesus. Rather, it was deeply rooted in the mind of God. Even should they later have doubts about themselves or they own worthiness for the call they received they could reflect back on the prayer of Jesus that preceded it and take courage. They knew that the prayer life of Jesus was special, not like others, to the extent that they wished to learn and imitate it. This gave a solidity to their call that they might not have otherwise been able to recognize, especially when the path of discipleship forced them to confront their own limitations and failures.
We too have been called and chosen and are therefore among the elect of God, a theme to which Paul frequently makes reference.
he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved (see Ephesians 1:4-6)
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you (see First Thessalonians 1:4).
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers (see Romans 8:29).
Maybe if we come to realize that following Jesus is his idea for us, rather than something we happened to chose without him particularly noticing, we will become more bold, more capable of following in the footsteps of the Twelve in making the name of Jesus known and loved.
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
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