5th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C

DOCTRINE AND FAITH 
(Isaiah 6,1-2.3-8; 1 Cor 15,1-11; Luke 5,1-11: )

    Let us put ourselves in the place of Peter and his companions, experts and experienced fishermen who have laboured all night in the lake of Gennesaret and was unable to catch even one fish. Then comes Jesus whose identity Peter and his companions do not yet know and who directs Peter: Put out into deep water and pay out your net for a catch. What would have been your reply, if you were in Peter’s shoes? Perhaps you would have courteously asked him whether he was trying to instruct you who have, at your finger tips, all the art of catching fish and who are very familiar with the nook and cranny of the lake. You would even tell him that he was qualified to teach the crowd about the salvation of their souls, but as far as fishing was concerned, you remain the expert. What is more, you would even point out to Jesus that it was not usual to catch fish at that time of the day. Actually, Peter, of the gospel narrative, tried to give a timid reply to Jesus’ directive when he said: Master, we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say, I will pay out the nets.  Then Peter cast the net into the lake. By his words and obedience Peter was actually saying: I trust you, I believe in your word blindly even when my experience would suggest otherwise. The gospel narrates further the reward of this marvellous act of faith and obedience: They netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear…they filled the two boats to sinking point. But the greater reward lies in Jesus’ call to Peter to become his disciple and apostle: Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch. Jesus also called Peter’s two companions, James and his brother John, who accepted the call with stupendous spontaneity and docility:Bringing their boat back to land, they left everything and followed him.

    Note that Peter and his companions neither looked for excuses, nor did they protest saying: How could we leave our work, families; who will be taking care of our dear ones? They could have presented all types of plausible and valid excuses to refuse and withdraw themselves from the call. But, they did not? Just as they followed Jesus’ command and put out their nets into the lake without much discussion, in the same manner without much consideration they followed him spontaneously.

    Today’s gospel teaches us two main lessons. The first is that we have to seriously believe the words of Jesus Christ and trust him completely.  Even when he demands some sacrifices that seem to contrast our human experience or vision, or the prevailing worldly opinion, what we need to say is: Jesus, I believe in your word.  At times it is very difficult to show this act of faith and trust, but sooner or later we will discover that Jesus never deceives and that he abundantly recompenses all our renouncements and sacrifices. The second lesson is that we have to (according to our state in life) feel that we are called not only to follow Christ (being his disciple) but also to be fishers of men. We need to get involved in the mission to make Jesus and the Gospel known. This call to mission is brought out well by the Evangelist John: I have chosen you from the world so that you will go and bear fruit that will last (John 15,16). Jesus has called us to this mission, right from the day of our baptism, confirmation and from the day he endowed us with the gift of faith and the Holy Spirit.

    The message of salvation we are to make known to people is not different from the content of the second reading of today, which St. Paul received from the apostles and transmitted it further to the Christians of Corinth. The message of salvation centres on the paschal mystery: Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead on the third day; he appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve Apostles and also to more than five hundred people and finally to Paul himself. To be able to transmit this message to others there are two indispensable dispositions that are required. The first is that one has to be free in the interior of his being, in his spirit, detached from the things of the world and not putting one’s confidence on human capacity or on himself. The second disposition is to trust in God’s help, the efficacy of his Word and the sustenance of his grace, just as Paul teaches again in the 2nd Reading of today. Paul contests that he should not be reckoned as an Apostle because he persecuted the Church. However, it is through the grace of God that he was what he was and that the grace of God was not a waste on him.
    In the gospel narrative of today, Peter, before becoming a fisher of men, first of all had personal encounter and experience of Jesus. It is a necessary requirement that whoever is called to be the messenger of the good news should be able to speak of his/her direct and personal experience of God and of the mystery of Christ. What is meant here is one’s personal experience with the crucified, dead and risen and now living Christ. Our contact with Christ and intimate relationship with him should be such that should make us affirm with Paul: It is not I who live but Christ lives in me (Gal 2,20). Only the person who has such experience can be convinced and be able to speak in a convincing manner. This experience we talk about is a gift of God, but we can obtain it through arduous prayer and constant duty of living a truly Christian life.  Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

 

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