5th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
Pope Francis in his homily today stated, "often, like Peter, we experience the disappointment of trying so hard and not seeing the desired results. But it is precisely that empty boat, the symbol of our incapacity, that becomes the pulpit from which Jesus proclaims the Word. The Lord climbs into the boat of our lives when we have nothing to offer Him; to enter our voids and fill them with His presence; to make use of our miseries to proclaim His mercy." In today’s readings, we hear the story of three individuals who showed us their unworthiness, incapacity to fulfill God’s commandments, their frustrations, disappointments and sinfulness. Prophet Isaiah in our first reading (Is 6:1-2a, 3-8) shows us these sentiments as he exclaims, ‘Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!’ St. Paul in our second reading (1 Cor 15:1-22) reminds the Corinthians and us of his past saying, ‘Last of all, as to one born abnormally, God appeared to me. For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.’ Then in our gospel reading, from the Gospel of Saint Luke 5:1-11 when the astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized Peter, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.’
My dear friends in Christ, these three individuals we heard their stories today in our readings remind us of our call to discipleship through repentance. In order to be true disciples of Christ, they accepted their sinfulness, and acknowledged their unworthiness, incapacity to fulfill God’s commandments, their frustrations and disappointments. Before we can answer our call to discipleship, we have to do the same in our spiritual lives. We have to repent of our past lifestyle by accepting and acknowledging our sins and faults then humble ourselves before God and allow Him lead us closer to Himself. Remember Prophet Isaiah after his mouth was touched with the hot ember had his wickedness removed, his sins purged and accepted to be sent to proclaim the word of God. Also remember that St. Paul after being saved by the grace of God, toiled harder than all the apostles in preaching the gospel of Christ to the world. And do not forget as we heard in the gospel reading that St. Peter left everything, followed Jesus and became a fisher of men.
So my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is time to acknowledge and accept our faults and sins so that we can hear Christ’s words to us, accept His words, and allow His words to enter the voids of our lives and fill us with His presence, Amen!
