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Pastor's Letter 20220206 - 06 February 2022 - Awareness of God's Presence


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February 6th, 2022

Fifth Sunday-Ordinary Time

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Jesus Calls His Disciples

A Message from Father Michael

Today’s Theme:  

Awareness of God’s Presence” 

Reflections on Today’s Scripture

A person cannot become truly aware of the Holiness of God without also recognizing their own sinfulness and unworthiness.  This was Isaiah’s plight, as we read in today’s First Reading (Isaiah 6:1-8.)  For him, the God of Israel and Judah was perceived as the “Holy One,” the wholly other and transcendent One. The use of “holy” signified a moral condition, demanded of those whose God was holiness itself.  Relating his symbolic vision of the Holy One in heaven, he describes the Jerusalem temple as an external expression of the heavenly temple.  Spiritual beings of heaven spoke to him with the seraphim’s triple “Holy,” which has been incorporated into both Jewish and Christian liturgies.   (We hear his “Holy, Holy, Holy” in our celebration of the Holy Mass, at the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer.)   But the God Who called and commissioned him as prophet would also equip him for the task.

~~~

For many of the Corinthian converts to Christianity, raised in Greek culture and Platonic philosophy, the bodily resurrection of Jesus (and of the redeemed) was an insurmountable obstacle, defying reason and taking their faith beyond its limits.  In answer to this Paul reminds them of the authentic tradition revealed to him by credible sources.  Paul’s list of witnesses to the risen Lord was intended to give added weight to his argument in today’s Second Reading (1 Corinthians 15:1-11.)  He sees himself as the least worthy of Jesus’ disciples, yet strives to disseminate the Good News with authoritative zeal.  

~~~

Like Isaiah, Peter felt unworthy and sinful in the face of goodness.  He shows his awareness of Jesus’ divine power, referring to Him as “Lord,” rather than “master,” in our Gospel today  Jesus speaks to Peter, and to him it was said, “From now on, you will be catching men.”  (This preeminent position of †Peter would be underscored by Luke in his Acts of the Apostles.) Through his apostolic labors, in the service of the Gospel, others would be saved from the death of sin and brought alive or to the new life in Jesus’ kingdom.  Luke understood the calling to discipleship to mean renouncement of everything else—a commitment that severs all other bonds.  

Coping with Failure

It’s possible to have done one’s best, yet at the end of the day (or night) have nothing to show for it, nothing but weariness and wounds.  One might study diligently for an exam, and still not achieve the expected results.  An athlete may train for years, but be the last one to complete the race.  A parent might do their best, only to have a child become a delinquent.

Jesus might have said to the apostles, “I’m surprised at you! You’re supposed to be experienced fishermen!  How could you fish all night and catch nothing?  How come the men (over there) made a good catch

If He had said this, He would have also been blaming them for their lack of results.  The last thing we need after expending our best efforts is blame.  To fail is painful enough without someone “rubbing salt into the wound.”  It’s terrible, if one’s best isn’t good enough….

We all experience failure at one time or another.  There is no point in being sentimental about it—failure breeds despair.  The person who can draw strength from failure is very rare.  What we need is not blame but someone to believe in us, to encourage us, and to challenge us.  Failure is not the “falling down,” but “staying down.”  

Besides, success is not everything.  We can win an argument but lose a friend.  Through competition and promotion, we may advance in our profession, but in terms of relationships we may be impoverished.  Success is sweet at the moment it is achieved.  But almost immediately, the cup of success is drained away and a feeling of emptiness sets in.  

Jesus did not blame Peter and his companions, but He didn’t encourage them to wallow in self-pity, either.  Nor did He allow them to rest in failure.  He challenged them to try again, saying, “Launch out into the deep and let down the nets for a catch.”

As Emerson once said, “Each of us has a greater possibility.  We each possess a chamber, or a closet, that has never been opened.  If we are to realize this ‘greater possibility’ we need to be challenged to go beyond ourselves, beyond that which we think we are capable and for which we have settled.”  

We need someone to say to us, “Launch out into the deep.”  We all need someone who accepts us for what we are, and believes we are capable of more, and challenges us to realize it.  

At Your Word, Lord….

Most of us would probably admit there are very few people in our lives whose “word” we would take seriously and trust absolutely.  Today’s Gospel story is not so much one about fishing, but about trust.  What began as failure—not catching any fish—ended with such bounty as to endanger their boat with the load.  

Jesus didn’t just offer Peter and the new apostles a “new work,” but a cause to which to dedicate their lives.  When leaders of “cults” call people to follow them, they turn them into their personal slaves.  Jesus called the apostles, not to service of Himself, but to service of others.  

Our Blessed Lord still calls people, and the need is just as great today.  And there still are those who respond.  Some people (like priests and the apostles) are called to dedicate themselves totally and in a “professional” way to the following of Christ.  But not all Christians are called to follow Christ in this way.  By our Baptism, we were each called to follow Christ.  For the ordinary person, it means to be a Christian where you are in and in your chosen profession.  There are more ways than one of serving Christ and His Gospel.  The call in the first instance is not to an apostolate but to discipleship.

We read today about Isaiah, Paul and Peter being called to service.  All three did great things for God, yet each of them had inferiority complexes—a low opinion of themselves.  They did not put themselves forward, but were “called” by God.  Isaiah said, “I am a man of unclean lips.” Paul said, “Of all the apostles, I am the least—I don’t even deserve the name.”  And Peter declared, “Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.”  This was not false humility on their part, it was the plain truth…. 

Often times, in looking for a leader, we are met with those who proclaim their abilities with confidence and bravado, but who perform less than admirably in the end, seeking their own aggrandizement.  But then, we may find someone of ability, who is fearful, reluctant, or even hesitant, we find that person much more believable, and much more human.  This element of reluctance is of the essence of the matter, for the saint or martyr who seeks his fate, with eagerness, never rings true.   

When we acknowledge our weakness, God can strengthen us.  When we acknowledge our emptiness, God can enrich us.  Then we become available to do His work, and He accomplishes in us the things we formerly found impossible.  Humility is the starting point.  It’s not that we are corrupt, but we are weak, selfish and cowardly.  ‘Without grace, we are unable to save ourselves, much less save anyone else.  

Through the working of the Holy Spirit within us, we can ask the Lord to give us humility to acknowledge our weaknesses and find the strength to rise above them.  Then we will have the joy of discovering that it is when we are weak, we are strong, because the Lord’s power becomes available to us. 

May God Richly Bless You!

"Success to failure is one step.  From failure to success is a long road."

~~Old Yiddish Saying~~

Lord, Jesus, Think on Me.docx

To view a recording of today's Holy Mass, click here:  

 

Edited by Father Michael
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