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Note.
After Mass; a comment: "the Homily was like telepathy of the Retreat Director’s lecture."
Aelred said, ‘It was only yesterday that I wrote the Homily.’
A case of almost singing from the same Hymn book.
Readings:
Luke
5:1-11v.8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
Homily by Fr. Aelred
5th Sunday (C)
The OT delights in
evoking the initiative of God, who chooses and sends his prophets. Last Sunday
it was the call of Jeremiah; today the call of Isaiah.
The calling of
Isaiah is connected with a vision in the Temple. Isaiah ‘sees God, the Lord and
King of the universe, although the divine presence is veiled by smoke to shield
human eyes from his awesome glory. Isaiah’s first reaction was fear and
trembling; out then, cleansed of his sins, he responded without hesitation of
the divine call.
The Prophet’s
mission was to turn the kings of Israel from trust in their political shrewdness and foreign alliances in
order to save Israel, and to learn to lean on God alone. In this he was largely
unsuccessful, as was a prophet from Galilee, 700 years later, who warned that
armed revolt against Rome would lead to the destruction of the nation. For the
‘holy one of Israel’ of Isaiah’s vision is a transcendent God who acts in
history on behalf of his own people. It is the mystery of an all-holy God who
yet stoops down to frail and sinful men and women.
In the second
reading Paul reminds the Corinthians that in order to be saved they must guard
the Gospel from all impurity or alteration and passes on what they have
received. “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures... he was
buried... he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures”; he
appeared to the witnesses he had chosen. Paul is one of them. Although Paul is
conscious that he is not worthy to be called an apostle because of his
persecution of the Church, he realizes that his election is pure grace from
God, , as is the zeal which he is to use to accomplish his mission. An
unconditional gift, disposed of most freely. To the Lord, Isaiah simply
responds: ‘Send me’. Saul is content to say to Jesus: ‘What shall I do?’
The coherence of
the 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays Gospel Readings,
is based on the fact that it is Luke from the beginning, placed as in the
presence of the person of Jesus and his mystery that is unfolded today in the
Church and in the world This Jesus is the Messiah, herald of the good news and
the divine grace, whose revelation inaugurates the era of salvation; Jesus, the
prophet, this sign of contradiction to whom no one can remain neutral; Jesus,
Master and Lord at the origin of the mission, who calls his disciples to follow
him while abandoning everything to become “fishers of men” in this world.
Today’s gospel
passage is composite. The setting of a discourse of Jesus given on the lake
with Jesus using a boat for his pulpit; a miraculous carch of fish; the call of
Simon. Simon Peter had failed. He was a
fisherman, and after a whole night’s fishing, he hadn’t caught a fish. But at
Jesus command he put out again into deep water and netted a miraculous catch.
Peter’s reaction was to say; ‘Leave me Lord; I am a sinful man, because he knew
he was in the presence of holiness. But Jesus speaks the reassuring words: ‘Do
not be afraid.’ The mind and the message of Jesus is to reassure sinners that
he is always there for them, something that the Church has not always put into
practice.
Some people (like
the apostles) are called to dedicate themselves totally and in a ‘professional’
way to the following of Christ. But not all Christians are called to follow
Christ in this way. There is a greater call for a human being than to follow
Jesus, to become a Christian. And of course most of these followers will belong
to the laity.
Vocation is a word
that applies to the laity as much as to the priest or religious. In a very real
sense each one in this Church has been called and chosen. Christ addresses each
one of us. You did not choose me; no I have chosen you. I have appointed you to
go and bear fruit, fruit that will remain. I have called you by name. You are
mine.
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