FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR

Cycle “C”: Luke 5, 1 – 11

A businessman in Boston once said to Mark Twain: “I want to go to the Holy Land, climb Mt. Sinai, and shout aloud the Ten Commandments.” Mark Twain replied, “I have a better idea for you. Why don’t you stay in Boston and keep the Ten Commandments?”

My dear friends, if you helicopter over the Lake of Galilee, you will see a beautiful pear shaped body of water about 13 miles long and eight miles wide. In the time of Jesus, there were 10 prosperous towns situated around the lake. Most of the people made their living from the waters in front of them. This gives you an idea how rich the lake was in fish. So its quite surprising that a professional fisherman like Peter and company came up empty the night before. All they had caught were bad colds, perhaps a few old sandals and some dead old crabs. Peter was pretty crabity that morning. While they were washing their empty nets, Jesus walked up with a request. He was well into his long workday, and was preaching to huge crowds on the beach. The Cana miracle and several other miracles had made him an unwilling celebrity. As the crowd was getting too big for his comfort, he was going to try a new method. He jumped into the high bow of Peter’s boat, which became his pulpit. After the sermon, he ordered Peter to cast the net. Perhaps he wanted to pay Peter for the boat rental, not with money but with fish! Even for Jesus there was no such thing as a free lunch. Peter cooperated by casting the net, even though it wasn’t professional to fish at that time of the day. My dear friends, we can assume that Jesus will return us rich dividends if we cooperate with him.

Before the miracle catch, Peter addressed the Christ as Master, taking him to be an interesting Rabbi and nothing more. But then the nets were dragged into the boat bursting with fish. The bulging, thrashing nets of the miraculous catch of fish drove the point home – that this was no ordinary teacher. In a miracle, God’s power is made present in physical things: heaven stoops to meet the earth, and the infinities made manifest, even in the mundane, for those who will see it. That contrast experience shattered Peter. It’s what psychologist call “psychic dissonance.” At that point, St. Luke stresses that Peter was no longer on his feet but on his knees. And for the first time he called Jesus “Lord.” It was not that Peter was an incisive theologian. Rather, like all his fellow Jews, he believed that he who possessed control over the waters also possessed divinity. Such a man had to be the Messiah. Notice, too, what Peter says, “I am a sinful man.” Peter had not lost his sense of sin. He recognises that he is in the presence of not only a master preacher but also a master of nature. Surely someone who can see the fish so clearly in the Sea of Galilee can see the sin in my heart, reasoned Peter perhaps. While to recognise our sinfulness is a healthy sign of the presence of humility in our heart, to refuse forgiveness or acceptance when offered by God points to a shadow of pride which would keep us from being healed by him. Jesus sees the fisherman and loves him, warts and all. We should take great heart from Peter and from Jesus’ faith and trust in him because our dear Lord has the same faith and trust in us.

 Incidentally, when a preacher speaks about sin, do you shrug and conclude that he is talking about someone else? A dead body would not feel a four-kilo weight placed on its chest. Neither would it feel a four hundred kilo weight on its chest. So it is with people who do not think they are sinners or need Jesus Christ. They cannot feel the weight of sin because they are dead in trespass and sin. There are some things that we never ever get used to.

But let’s go back to the scene on the lake. Overwhelmed by what they had seen, Peter and his friends are open to hearing Jesus’ call to come and share in his mission. Jesus reassures them that they have nothing to fear; yet they are now to embark on a challenging and dangerous course as they leave everything to follow him. This encounter by the lake illustrates an important truth. The initiative to service always comes from God. So often the call comes to us as individuals in the places where we live and work. It is there that we must respond; and it is there that we must be open to the power of the Gospel to transform us. Like the fishermen at the Galilee lakeside, it is often in the midst of our everyday lives and activities that we find God; or, perhaps more usually, that God finds us, and it could be that we were in a pretty bad mood that moment, as Peter was when Jesus walked up. When we sense the presence of God, we may become more keenly aware of our own inadequacy, but we can be reassured that we have a place in his eternal plan. Still today, Jesus calls you and me.

PRAYER: Thomas Wilson (1663 – 1755, + 92 years)

Grant, O God, that amidst all the discouragements, difficulties, dangers, distress, and darkness of this mortal life, I may depend upon your mercy, and on this build my hopes, as on a sure foundation. Let your infinite mercy in Christ Jesus deliver me from despair, both now and at the hour of death. Help me to hear your voice and to recognise your presence in my life, and the transforming touch of your love.

Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8
Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11


A reflection on today's Sacred Scriptures:
When we're very young, most of us have glamorous or exciting careers we want to follow. "I want to be a fireman - I want to be an astronaut - I want to be a movie actress" As we grow older, our choices are more realistic. "I want to be a veterinarian - I want to be a nurse, etc." More rarely, a person feels "called" to be or do some special work. It sounds so noble, for it takes both courage and humility to answer a call!

The two persons in today's readings, Isaiah and Peter, were both called, but felt unworthy to accept until strengthened and encouraged by God. In today's reading from the first chapters of Isaiah, the young prophet is aware of his sinfulness as he experiences a vision of God on His throne about to make a decision.

Who will He send as His messenger to clean up the mess left by King Uzziah and bring the people back to fidelity? After one of the heavenly seraphim has touched a burning coal to his lips (ouch!), Isaiah now feels worthy enough to cry out, "Here I am; send me!" And so, Isaiah's whole life's work begins.

The Gospel is just as dramatic. It portrays an unforgettable day on the Lake of Gennesaret. Simon Peter and his partners, James and John, are tired and discouraged after a night of fruitless fishing. Jesus prevails on them to let Him use their boat as a pulpit. After Jesus has preached a while to those on the shore, He dares to ask these tired fishermen to try just once more. Simon must have thought, "He's a good preacher, but He doesn't know much about fishing!" However, he obeys, and puts out to the deep. To his amazement, the nets are filled to breaking with huge fish. In panic, Simon calls for help. Now the two boats are in danger of capsizing as they carefully head for shore.

Like Isaiah, Simon feels unworthy. He falls on his knees, crying out, "Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man." With amazing powers of persuasion, Jesus says to Simon Peter, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." They leave a profession they know very well, for a life filled with uncertainty and danger. And not just Simon Peter, but his partners, James and John, are willing to take the same risk.

While we may not have the stature of an Isaiah or a St. Peter, God knows better than we do what vocation in life will make us truly happy and fulfilled. The wisdom of God often seems like foolishness to humans. Jesus that day issued an invitation. Simon Peter, James and John had trust enough to answer it!

We must pray every day that young people (and older people, too) will have the courage and the humility to answer God's call to the consecrated life and to the Priesthood. They need a lot of encouragement from their families, the Christian community, and close friends who know them.