Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr Dominic’s Homily

What’s the only thing that we can give to God that we didn’t get from him in the first place? The answer is of course - our sinfulness.

Sometimes this is the only thing that Jesus wants us to give to him. We might well try and give him everything else in our lives thinking that’s what he wants. Our gifts, our money or our very lives when we don’t realise that he gave us all these things in the first place.

God wants to redeem us. This means that we have to have a good look at ourselves and take that step of humility and give to God what he really wants from us.

Today we hear about an interaction between a fisherman and a carpenter. The fisherman – Peter – is an experienced worker who knows his trade extremely well. The carpenter of course is Jesus of Nazareth whose qualification is that he is the son of God, creator of the universe who has existed from all eternity.

Now we all know this story extremely well. The lake Gennesaret is otherwise known as Tiberius or Lake Galilee. Jesus has the audacity to climb into the boat of a man who doesn’t even know who he is. That’s quite a bold move. But then Jesus knows exactly who Peter is as well as who he is going to be.

So why does Jesus choose a fisherman to become the leader of the Church? Well to be a fisherman requires certain qualities. You need to be observant, of weather systems, patterns, the surroundings. You need to be patient, and you need persistence but especially you need to trust in God as catching fish is not something that can be easily controlled by us.

So imagine the situation. You have been fishing all night and caught nothing. You are tired and hungry and probably a bit cross and then a man who seemingly knows nothing about the trade climbs into your boat and tells you what to do. It’s like a stranger climbing into your car and telling you how to drive. How utterly patronising.

When Jesus calls us to adventure with him we can often come up with a multitude of reasons why we should not be complicit with his call. We hear all sorts of voices from the outside telling us why we shouldn’t.

However, if we do allow him to get into our boat everything changes in ways that we could never imagine.

So initially Peter argues but somehow swallows his pride and cooperates with his request and puts out into the deep. He shows humility and obedience to Christ.

Then he experiences an incredible catch of fish that was beyond his comprehension. He is full of wonder and awe and then says those famous words “leave me Lord for I am a sinful man” He recognises who this carpenter is.

Peter feels that he is not worthy to be in the presence of God. The Catholic Church however is the only organisation where you have to be unworthy in order to be a member. Remember that the Church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners. We have to have the humility to recognise our sinfulness.

It is when we approach the light we see the blemishes on the windscreen. God loves us and draws us to him and then we become aware of our human disposition.

If we are too full of ourselves there is no space for God to work through us. It’s not what I want to do that counts but what God can do through me. His light can shine through in the very cracks of our personality.

Peter is not an educated man. He feels unworthy just as we might sometimes. But remember that Jesus doesn’t call the qualified but qualifies those he calls. It’s nothing to do with our abilities but it’s all about our availability to the Lord.

So when Jesus confronts us we must make a choice. We can either become believers or be – leavers and walk away from his requests thinking that we are not worthy and his requests are impractical.

However, our best disposition can only ever be – here I am Lord - I come to do your will.

If we can say this in our hearts then we too will witness amazing miracles as we begin a grace filled adventure with him.