Sinful Man, Holy Man
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Jesus said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.'”Luke 5:4
All three readings today feature what are known as the “call” stories of famous figures of our faith: Isaiah, Paul, and Simon Peter. Each story shares features common to scriptural stories: First, an encounter with God or a messenger of God. Second, there is some sort of resistance, usually framed as a claim of unworthiness. Third, the one who has been called receives an assurance that they are, indeed, fit for the mission. In this way God has continued to call prophets, apostles, saints, and everyday women and men throughout time. It is unlikely that any of us will receive a “call” as dramatic as fiery angels in the temple, a booming voice from heaven striking us down, or sitting side-by-side in a boat with Jesus of Nazareth. This doesn’t mean we can’t, or won’t, or haven’t received a call from God. It may even be a “spillover” from somebody else’s, the way James and John are called through Jesus giving Simon Peter his mission.
We can likely identify with Simon Peter who, in today’s Gospel passage, is really having a bad day at work. When your job is to catch fish, and you’re not catching fish, it’s a bad day. To top it off, he knows he is in the presence of a holy man in the person of this Jesus of Nazareth, who had just commandeered his boat to do some spontaneous preaching. As good as the preaching may have been, it surely didn’t put fish in the nets. So, as he will throughout the gospel, Jesus rectifies the situation. Simon Peter knows he’s not merely in the presence of a holy man, but of holiness itself, and declares his sinfulness. Nevertheless, he is commissioned for the work of the Gospel. No matter how bad our day may be going, or how incompetent we think we are, we are receiving the call. Our role in the story? Listen.
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Readings for the Week
Monday: 1 Kgs 8:1-7, 9-13; Ps 132:6-7, 8-10; Mk 6:53-56
Tuesday: 1 Kgs 8:22-23, 27-30; Ps 84:3-5, 10-11; Mk 7:1-13
Wednesday: 1 Kgs 10:1-10; Ps 37:5-6, 30-31, 39-40; Mk 7:14-23
Thursday: 1 Kgs 11:4-13; Ps 106:3-4, 35-37, 40; Mk 7:24-30
Friday: 1 Kgs 11:29-32, 12:19; Ps 81:10-15; Mk 7:31-37
Saturday: 1 Kgs 12:26-32; 13:33-34; Ps 106:6-7ab, 19-22; Mk 8:1-10
Sunday: Jer 17:5-8; Ps 138: 1-5, 7-8; 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20; Lk 6:17, 20-26
Saints & Special Observances
Sunday: Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Scouting Sunday
Tuesday: St. Jerome Emiliani; St. Josephine Bakhita; International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking
Thursday: St. Scholastica
Friday: Our Lady of Lourdes; World Day of the Sick; National Shut-in Visitation Day
Saturday: Lincoln’s Birthday