In this powerful reflection, Msgr. John Esseff speaks about the urgency of Jesus’ call to every human heart. Drawing from the Gospel of Mark, St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, and the story of Jonah, he reflects on the immediacy with which Jesus calls Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John to leave everything and follow him. This call is not delayed, negotiated, or postponed. It is immediate and personal.

Msgr. Esseff explains that Jesus speaks not only to those who feel distant from God but also to those who have lived faithfully for many years. Holiness, he says, is not static. Christ continues to invite every soul into deeper union, greater surrender, and closer intimacy. Past fidelity is preparation for what God desires to give now.

Through vivid personal stories, including moments of sudden danger and narrowly avoided loss, Msgr. Esseff illustrates how urgency sharpens listening. Just as one responds instantly to fire or imminent danger, so the soul is invited to respond without delay to the voice of Christ. God’s call is not meant to create fear, but to awaken joy, freedom, and life.

He speaks candidly about sin, addiction, hardness of heart, inherited hatred, and spiritual resistance. Whether one feels unworthy, indifferent, angry, or convinced they are beyond God’s reach, the invitation remains the same. Jesus calls each person by name. Repentance is not condemnation but a doorway into healing, love, and renewal.

The episode concludes with a profound meditation on union with Christ, drawing from the life of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Msgr. Esseff reflects on how closeness to Jesus means sharing both his joy and his sorrow, his love and his suffering. To be united with Christ is to live from his heart, now and for eternity.

1. Where do I sense Jesus inviting me to follow him more closely right now?

2. What fears, habits, or attachments delay my response to God’s call?

3. How do moments of urgency in my life help me recognize what truly matters?

4. In what ways am I being called to repentance that leads to deeper freedom?

5. What does union with the Heart of Jesus mean for my daily life?