Readings: Isaiah 6:1-2,3-8, Ps. 138:1-5,7-8, 1 Cor. 15:1-11, Luke 5:1-11
“Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets. When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break.” (Luke 5:5-6)
Two Sundays ago, we celebrated the Sunday of the Word of God. We learned that “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him, no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:12-13)
When Ezra read the Word of God to the people, they were struck to conscience and cried. (Nehemiah 8:9). However, when Jesus preached the Word in his hometown, they took offence at him. Amazed at their lack of faith, Jesus did not work many miracles there. (Mark 6:5-6). In today’s Gospel passage, Peter grumbled at the Word of God, but when he obeyed, Peter saw for himself the living and active power of the Word of God.
The great catch of fish was a turning point in Peter’s life. He immediately recognised God's presence and confessed his sins. Isaiah had a similar experience in today’s First Reading. Meanwhile, in today’s second reading, St. Paul confesses how he previously persecuted the Church, yet God made him an apostle. Is it the case that God prefers working with individuals with a sinful past? What do we learn from these readings?
1. Failure is Just a Stepping Stone
They say charity begins at home. What happens when your charity is not appreciated in your home? Having been rejected from his hometown, Jesus was unhappy but not discouraged. Jesus knew he had failed at home but would not let this failure stop Him from proclaiming God to others. As St. John says: “He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave the power to become children of God” (John 1:11-12).
Have you failed before? Let us admit that it is not a funny feeling at all. No one likes to fail. It is even more painful when you are rejected by someone you genuinely desire to help. Learn from Jesus; move on. You will find others who will appreciate you. Pick yourself up and try again. Do not take failure personally. In today’s Gospel passage, we discover that like Jesus, who failed at home, Peter and his colleagues were also nursing their wounds, having failed to catch any fish all night.
Like Peter and his fellow fishermen, some of us have worked all night (the best time for that particular work) but caught nothing. Failure makes us look down on ourselves. We start wondering if God might be punishing us for our past sins. Jesus’s failure in his hometown shows us that nobody is above failure. Peter’s failure to catch fish that night shows us that failure can be a stepping stone to a Divine Encounter. Sometimes, you must fail to grow, improve yourself, meet the right people, and discover your true potential.
2. Obey God’s Word No Matter What
In moments of failure, we tend to become angry with God and want to disobey His instructions. He didn’t answer your prayers. Right? He allowed you to fail. Isn’t it? Do not disobey His instructions. Do not listen to the devil’s suggestion. A few Sundays ago, we reflected on the second mystery of light – the self-revelation of Jesus at the Wedding Feast at Cana. Do you remember the instruction Jesus gave the servants? John writes: “Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the feast steward.’ So, they took it.” (John 2:7-8)
Jesus said to Peter: “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Peter told Jesus, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But AT YOUR WORD I WILL LET DOWN THE NETS.” God’s words sometimes come to us as a joke. Sometimes, it feels as if what God demands from us is unreasonable and impossible. Trust and obey God. This is what happens when we disobey God. We end up toiling in vain. We work so hard, but we have nothing to show for it. Jonah found himself in a fish’s belly when he disobeyed God’s instructions to go to Nineveh. He would have lived a miserable life without asking for forgiveness. (Cf. Jonah 1:17).
3. What Happens When God Calls You?
A young man asked me, “How do I know if God has called me to religious life?” Today’s readings answer this question. In today’s first reading, Isaiah describes what we may refer to as God’s “direct” call. This is when you see God face to face, either in a vision, trance, or dream. You may also get a direct call when God sends an Angel to speak to you face to face (like Mary, Zechariah, etc.) or in a dream (like Joseph, the foster Father of Jesus.) St. Paul also had a direct call from God on his way to Damascus. He saw the light, fell from his horse and heard God speaking to him. (Acts 9:3-8). The truth is that only a few persons are lucky enough to get a direct call from God.
The second type of call is the indirect call. In this call, God speaks to us through our ordinary daily experiences. Like the direct call, we may experience something extraordinary but are fully conscious and awake. We may not hear God speaking to us face to face, but when we reflect deeply on the experience, we cannot but conclude that we have just encountered God. This is exactly what happened to Peter in today’s Gospel passage.
Learn to see God’s hands in your everyday experiences. This is how you will know whether God is calling you. Do not dismiss any event as mere coincidence. It wasn’t a coincidence that Peter and his team failed that night only to catch a great catch of fish the next morning when it wasn’t even time to fish.
4. Light Always Exposes Darkness.
After Isaiah saw a vision of heaven, he quickly realised that he was unworthy of God’s presence. “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). When Peter saw the fish, he knew this was not about fish; he had just encountered God. Luke writes: “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.’” (Luke 5:8). Light exposes darkness. When we encounter light, we immediately recognise our darkness.
Show me one who boasts of self-righteousness, and I will show you one who is yet to encounter God. (cf. Luke 18:10-14). If God were to open our eyes to behold His glory even for a minute, I bet we would all drop to our knees and weep profusely over our past sins. We misbehave in God’s presence (make noise in the chapel, refuse to sing, read non-spiritual books, distract others from praying, etc.) because we have yet to encounter God. Some of us even refuse to fold our hands, kneel, or say “Amen” when we receive Holy Communion. I pray that God will open your eyes one day to know that where you are is the Holy Ground.
5. You Don’t Have To Be Perfect To Answer God’s Call.
Isaiah said he was a man of unclean lips. Paul described himself as “one untimely born, the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle.” (1 Corinthians 15:8-9). Peter said he was a sinful man. I remember saying to myself as a little child that I couldn’t become a priest because I was such a sinful person. I thought that going to the seminary would make me incapable of ever sinning, but even after ordination, I realise I still need to frequent the Sacrament of Penance. When I celebrate the Holy Eucharist, I don’t need anyone to tell me that even though I am the one saying the words, I am not making it happen.
You don’t have to be perfect to say “Yes” to God’s call. Why does God prefer those who know they are sinners? St. Paul writes: “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)
God does not call the qualified; rather, he qualifies (completes, adds to, and betters) the called. In the case of Isaiah, an Angel touched his lips with a lump of burning coal and granted him divine absolution, but not all those called by God receive such dramatic experiences. Sometimes, God does not even “qualify” the calls; he uses them just like that. Even the so-called “bad priest” can inspire vocations. A poorly prepared homily may convert more sinners than the homily of a theology professor. In the end, no one can boast in God’s presence.
In Conclusion, God Will Not Give You an Experience Just for The Fun of It.
The only reason why God will allow you to experience the supernatural is to let you know that you have been chosen for a special assignment. In other words, do not say “No” to God. Isaiah said: “Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8). Mary said: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38). Peter did not need to say anything; his actions spoke loudly. Luke says, “When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.” (Luke 5:11).
Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, help us to say “Yes” to your call. Show us that it is better to obey than to complain. Help us see our darkness, but show us how to walk in your light. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (5th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Liturgical Colour: Green. Bible Study: Isaiah 6:1-2,3-8, Ps. 138:1-5,7-8, 1 Cor. 15:1-11, Luke 5:1-11).
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu