How funny, the second reading, from Corinthians, chapter seven, how much that Rilke poem is like it.

I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.

And for the Gospel, we hear St. Mark’s version of how Peter meets Jesus. Remember last week we heard St. John tell how John the Baptist pointed out Jesus to Andrew, then Andrew followed and met Jesus, and then he told his brother Simon. According to St. Mark, Jesus found Andrew and Simon fishing, and told them to follow him.

Mark specifically puts this after John the Baptist has been arrested. But, then again, thinking about it, St. Mark doesn’t say that this is the first time he has spoken to Andrew and Simon Peter. In fact, it probably makes sense that they have met before, since St. Mark describes Christ’s invitation as a simple and terse, “Follow me.” Jesus isn’t just some strange dude wandering by with his Hey guys come along with me. They know him. His invitation isn’t a surprise.