5th Sunday in Ordinary Time Feb. 7, 2010 (Lk 5:1-11)
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets."
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."
When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets."
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."
When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
There are times when we feel we are worth nothing, when we feel that everything we do are in vain because we're not getting any results nor pleasing anyone. Even when we pray, go to Mass or serve God, we feel unworthy to worship or to serve God. We feel we are lacking something, that we are imperfect.
Our readings for today present us with three servants of God whom we look up to as holy men - Isaiah, the prophet, Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, and Peter, the Prince of the Apostles. But even they felt unworthy before they were called by God. They all felt they were sinners unworthy to be in the presence of God. But these men were called to serve God and they did not refuse to do so. We look up to them now because they went from unworthy sinners to holy men.
In our Gospel today, Peter got visited by a stranger in his boat. This stranger borrowed his boat and, from it, preached to the people. Peter heard Jesus' words and was probably amazed by Jesus' teachings. He must have recognized that Jesus was a holy man. Nonetheless, it was peculiar that Jesus, though a holy man, should give fishermen directions on how to catch fish. But Peter, trusting Jesus, obeyed and was surprised by their catch. This miracle must have been the moment when Jesus captured Peter.
Peter, realizing that Jesus was truly a holy man, felt unworthy of Jesus' presence. But Jesus called him and his friends, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."
Jesus is saying the same thing to us. If we feel unworthy to serve Him, who will be worthy? We are all sinners and all those who are chosen by God to serve Him are also sinners. We must not refuse God's call for it is He who chose us. It is He who guides us as we obey His mandate. It is He who makes us worthy to serve Him.
God chooses us, despite our weaknesses, to be His followers. Our weaknesses bear witness to the truth that it is God who works in us and that it is God's work that we do. Our weaknesses tell the world that it is God who is truly powerful. As St. Paul says, "God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God (1 Cor 1:27-29)."
So let us heed Jesus' call to be not afraid. It is God who chooses us and who makes us worthy. He gives us the power to build His Kingdom here on earth and to be fishers of men. Let us do our mission in whatever state of life we have. Let us trust in God who made us His worthy servants.
Our readings for today present us with three servants of God whom we look up to as holy men - Isaiah, the prophet, Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, and Peter, the Prince of the Apostles. But even they felt unworthy before they were called by God. They all felt they were sinners unworthy to be in the presence of God. But these men were called to serve God and they did not refuse to do so. We look up to them now because they went from unworthy sinners to holy men.
In our Gospel today, Peter got visited by a stranger in his boat. This stranger borrowed his boat and, from it, preached to the people. Peter heard Jesus' words and was probably amazed by Jesus' teachings. He must have recognized that Jesus was a holy man. Nonetheless, it was peculiar that Jesus, though a holy man, should give fishermen directions on how to catch fish. But Peter, trusting Jesus, obeyed and was surprised by their catch. This miracle must have been the moment when Jesus captured Peter.
Peter, realizing that Jesus was truly a holy man, felt unworthy of Jesus' presence. But Jesus called him and his friends, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."
Jesus is saying the same thing to us. If we feel unworthy to serve Him, who will be worthy? We are all sinners and all those who are chosen by God to serve Him are also sinners. We must not refuse God's call for it is He who chose us. It is He who guides us as we obey His mandate. It is He who makes us worthy to serve Him.
God chooses us, despite our weaknesses, to be His followers. Our weaknesses bear witness to the truth that it is God who works in us and that it is God's work that we do. Our weaknesses tell the world that it is God who is truly powerful. As St. Paul says, "God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God (1 Cor 1:27-29)."
So let us heed Jesus' call to be not afraid. It is God who chooses us and who makes us worthy. He gives us the power to build His Kingdom here on earth and to be fishers of men. Let us do our mission in whatever state of life we have. Let us trust in God who made us His worthy servants.
