February 9, 2025 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Welcome Father Daniel Johann Today’s Readings: Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8 | 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 | Luke 5:1-11

Most of us are often surprised by the way that some people do some very amazing things. We all know of someone who accomplished much more than we thought they were capable of doing. Some have even completely turned around their lives for the better. They did this when it seemed impossible for them to do so. How could this happen? How could we have been so wrong about their potential?

If we probe deeply enough, we will probably find a startling truth. It is that they responded to a grace – They responded to a call from God – And they did so even though they might not have understood it at the time. All the scriptures for today throw this process into bold relief.

Isaiah was someone not much different than the other Chosen People 700 years before the time of Christ. However, the Lord God had a mission for him to begin and accomplish. It started with an overwhelming vision of God’s reality and presence. With it, Isaiah thought that he was doomed to die. In those days, it was believed that no one could go on living if they had seen something of God’s reality. And yet, Isaiah continued to live. He lamented that he was a man who had sinned. He had sinned repeatedly by the things he said. He was no different than any of his contemporaries. Nevertheless, God sent an angel to purify Isaiah. His heart and soul were cleansed of sin. Furthermore, Isaiah said, “Yes!” when God asked for someone to be a prophet to the wayward Chosen People!

In the Gospel of Luke, rough, burly, earthy-mannered fishermen did Jesus a favor. Peter allowed Jesus to use his boat offshore with the lake as a sounding board. After he had finished speaking, Jesus told Peter to take the boat and cast the net where there had been nothing earlier. The result was amazing and almost beyond belief. Peter and the Zebedee Fishing Company made the catch of a lifetime! Then, aware of his sinfulness, Peter told Jesus to leave. Jesus should not be associating with the likes of Peter and the others. They were sinful – They were no different than anyone else – Maybe they were even worse! Nevertheless, they were so overwhelmed and touched by grace – that they left everything to follow Jesus. Thereafter, they would learn to cast God’s net for everyone, everywhere! St. Paul was very much aware of his sinfulness and unworthiness. It was always a mystery to Paul why God called him to be the “Apostle to the Gentiles” – to every nation, far and wide. Paul had persecuted the early followers of Jesus. He had served warrants for their arrest. He even guarded the coats of those who stoned St. Stephen! However, God chose Paul anyway. God knew his potential. And Paul was so moved and changed that he spent the rest of his life preaching the Gospel of Jesus. Paul clearly understood that it was God’s power and grace that worked in him. He was who he was – But God’s grace was more than sufficient!

Brothers and Sisters, we, also, are who we are. We are all sinners – We are all unworthy – We all have done things that were bad – maybe even worse than bad. Nevertheless, God has touched us anyway. That is the reason we are here today. God has given us life. He has loved us into life. His mercy is far greater than any sin we have committed. What matters is that we say, “Yes!” to whatever God continues to ask of us. That “Yes” is being the best parent, child, spouse, brother, sister that we can be – That “Yes” means trusting in whatever God might ask of us in the future – That “Yes!” includes a resounding “No!” to whatever the culture uses to distract us, weaken our resolve, or destroy us!

So, let us pray, today: – for the discernment that always seeks the path of God –– for the humility to be honest about ourselves –– and for the courage to be faithful, no matter what future challenges we face!

Source: Msgr. Russell G. Terra, https://stjosephredding.org/msgr-terras-homilies Image: Raphael: The Miraculous Draft of Fishes