Saint Matthew's gospel tells us today that when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee (Mt 4:12). We believe that Jesus knew John. He was most certainly aware of the work that John was doing. I have often wondered whether at the time when John was arrested, perhaps Jesus questioned his own call. The scripture says only that he withdrew to Galilee - that he moved to a new place.
It would seem that having moved to Capernaum, he began his public ministry, calling others to repentance, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel and curing diseases (cf Mt 4:13, 23). News of John's arrest must have saddened Jesus, but he did not let such sadness deter him from carrying out his mission, and neither should we.
God has a plan for each of us. We will never ultimately be able to find our true fulfillment in anything earthly. Rather, God will always show us the way: the places where we need to be, the people we need to encounter and the words that we need to speak. When we open our hearts to him and allow him to lead us, our mission will be made clear and we ourselves will discover the joy of living as His disciples.
Have a great day.
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