Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 75

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.

Today’s reading from the Prophet Isaiah is enormously important. Just as his vision in the Temple of Jerusalem completely altered Isaiah’s life, it has profoundly affected our entire experience of God. We can never suppose that we concocted our religion out of our own limited imagination. Founded upon the revealed word of God, Judaism, Christianity and Islam are profoundly different from all other religions.

Today’s gospel about the miraculous catch of fish, and especially Saint Peter’s reaction, should remind us that God can appear to anyone at anytime. If he appears to Isaiah in the temple, he can also appear to a fisherman in his boat. A working man, hardened by savage, unpredictable weather and thankless toil, Peter was not one to expect the unexpected. A devout Jew, he demonstrated a respectful attitude toward prophets and holy men in permitting Jesus to preach from his boat. And he had to be impressed and grateful for the healing of his mother-in-law.

But he was not prepared for what happened. He knew fishing, and he may have quietly laughed at the landlubber who stood in the boat and preached. He must have been humoring the Lord when he “put out to sea for a catch.”

Then suddenly he was kneeling in his own boat before the Landlubber, up to his armpits in thrashing, squirming fish, saying, “Leave me Lord, I am a sinful man.”

He was further astonished when Jesus looked past the fish and addressed himself directly to Peter, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” Jesus was neither surprised by the fish nor distracted by them. Rather, he had engineered the entire affair for Peter’s benefit. Despite the almost ludicrous situation he stood above it all and spoke with magisterial authority, “Come follow me.”

The Lord has called each of us and, at some point, We Saw His Glory. The invitation was neither a subtle hint nor a broad suggestion. It was a command given with authority and irresistible charm. We dared not and could not ignore it.

We are still in the opening pages of the Gospel of Saint Luke and today we have heard how Saint Peter, a sailor and fisherman, left the sea and set out on the evangelical highway. His adventures were just beginning and he would face innumerable challenges before their end. 

Following his example the individual Christian should not suppose her surrender to the Lord is the end of her adventures. They have just begun! But she will enjoy the company of the Lord and his disciples along the road, treasures she never had when she traveled alone.