"They Left Everything and Followed Him"
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mass was postponed Sunday until the roads were safe after another snowfall in the area. A baptism had been scheduled for this day so we gathered for Mass in the afternoon to celebrate the Baptism of Quentin Mekhi Sullivan.
In the Old Testament reading of Isaiah, as well as in Luke's Gospel and in the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians, we see the reaction of people to the presence of God in their midst.
Isaiah sees a vision of the Lord and realizes right away that he is unworthy to see the Lord of Hosts and believes he is doomed to die. But the Lord has other plans for Isaiah and sends one of the seraphim to purge his sin with a burning ember to his lips. Isaiah is then immediately prepared to do the Lord's Will and responds: "Here I am...send me!" when the Lord calls.
We all know the story of the conversion of Paul. In the reading from First Corinthians, Paul explains how despite the fact that he persecuted the Christians relentlessly and knows he is not worthy to be called an apostle, the grace of God has effectively changed his life and now he is handing on what he has received.
In Luke's Gospel, Jesus directs Peter to lower his nets in a specific spot. In doing so, Peter and his partners caught such a large number of fish that the boat was in danger of sinking. When he saw what Jesus had done for them, Peter recognized immediately that he was in the presence of holiness and that he was not worthy. Peter fell to his knees saying, "Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man."
But Jesus had other plans for Peter, James and John. After he told them not to be afraid, Jesus invited them to follow him: "...from now on you will be catching men." Peter, James and John left everything they had previously taken for granted: their successful fishing business, their families, their former lives...
The apostles' encounter with Jesus had the same conversion elements that Paul and Isaiah experienced. None of them could return to their previous existence. Everything had changed.
Through our Baptism, we are also called by God. Our call is to bear witness to God's love in our lives and to proclaim His Kingdom to all we meet.
"Here I am...send me!"
In the Old Testament reading of Isaiah, as well as in Luke's Gospel and in the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians, we see the reaction of people to the presence of God in their midst.
Isaiah sees a vision of the Lord and realizes right away that he is unworthy to see the Lord of Hosts and believes he is doomed to die. But the Lord has other plans for Isaiah and sends one of the seraphim to purge his sin with a burning ember to his lips. Isaiah is then immediately prepared to do the Lord's Will and responds: "Here I am...send me!" when the Lord calls.
We all know the story of the conversion of Paul. In the reading from First Corinthians, Paul explains how despite the fact that he persecuted the Christians relentlessly and knows he is not worthy to be called an apostle, the grace of God has effectively changed his life and now he is handing on what he has received.
In Luke's Gospel, Jesus directs Peter to lower his nets in a specific spot. In doing so, Peter and his partners caught such a large number of fish that the boat was in danger of sinking. When he saw what Jesus had done for them, Peter recognized immediately that he was in the presence of holiness and that he was not worthy. Peter fell to his knees saying, "Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man."
But Jesus had other plans for Peter, James and John. After he told them not to be afraid, Jesus invited them to follow him: "...from now on you will be catching men." Peter, James and John left everything they had previously taken for granted: their successful fishing business, their families, their former lives...
The apostles' encounter with Jesus had the same conversion elements that Paul and Isaiah experienced. None of them could return to their previous existence. Everything had changed.
Through our Baptism, we are also called by God. Our call is to bear witness to God's love in our lives and to proclaim His Kingdom to all we meet.
"Here I am...send me!"
Labels: ordinary time, reflection, sundayreflection
posted by mary ann @ Wednesday, February 10, 2010
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