Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Commentary:
Reading 1 Is 6:1-2a, 3-8
The Prophet Isaiah tells us the story of his call “In the year King Uzziah died” (742 B.C.) The prophet first relates his belief that he will die, since it is the common belief that no one who had not been purified could see the face of God and live. Then one of the seraphim flew to him and, using a coal from the fire at the altar (there would have been a fire for burning the holocaust – a sacrificial offering completely burnt as opposed to simply slaughtered).
With that coal, the seraphim touched Isaiah’s lips in symbolic cleansing, making the prophet worthy to proclaim God’s word. The Church remembers this event with the Priest’s blessing of himself or the Deacon with the words – “May the Lord open my (your) lips that I (you) may worthily proclaim the Holy Gospel; In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
The reading closes with that lyric that we express in song in “Here I am Lord” many other hymns.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
The response we use in this song of thanksgiving and praise links us to Isaiah’s vision of the seraphim in the first reading. We are also reminded of God’s saving power and his enduring faithfulness.
Reading II 1 Cor 15:1-11 or 15:3-8, 11
St. Paul cuts to the heart of the faith as he tells the Corinthians that first and of most importance we have the fact that Jesus, the Christ, died for our sins and on the third day was raised up. He goes on to offer proofs that Jesus was raised from the dead by giving what amounts to a chronology of his post resurrection appearances with which he includes his own vision on the road to Damascus. His last statement can be paraphrased as saying; “Regardless of who you hear it from that is truth and should be believed.”
Gospel Lk 5:1-11
Here we are given St. Luke’s account of the call of the first disciples. No mention is made here of Simon’s (Peter’s) brother Andrew who would also have been there and in fact as a disciple of John the Baptist actually introduced the two (John 1; 41 ff). We do hear that James and John, Zebedee’s sons were also there as Simon’s partners and are called at the same time.
Much like Isaiah in the first reading, Simon – Peter’s response to the Lord’s call is one of being sinful that thereby unworthy of the presence of the Lord. In response to Simon’s fearful humility, Jesus invites them all to leave what they have and become fishers of men.
Reflection:
The common thread that flows through our scripture today is “Call and Response”. In Isaiah we hear the prophet exposed to a vision of the throne of heaven and of God the Father. His response was fear since, being a sinful man, he was sure that he would not survive seeing God face to face. God’s response was to send one of his angels to purify Isaiah so that he could fulfill the mission he was called to.
In St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, we find the Apostle Paul referring to his own call; “Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me.” Note the humility as he refers to himself as unworthy of the grace he receives in seeing and being sent. He goes on to flesh out his unworthiness recounting his former life, persecuting Christ’s followers.
Finally we come to the Gospel story from St. Luke’s Gospel. Here we find Jesus requisitioning St. Peter’s boat and using it as speaking platform so more people could hear his words. In recompense for taking the owner away from his work he instructs Peter to move away from shore a short distance and lower his nets. Peter resisted indicating that it was the wrong time of day to catch anything but did as he was asked. (We must surmise from his response at this point that Jesus’ words, spoken to the crowd from his boat, must have inspired some faith within him since this was not a simple task.)
When the nets came back so full of fish they threatened to swamp not only Peter’s boat but his partner, Zebedee’s boat as well, his epiphany was complete. Much like Isaiah, out of fear, he responded; “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” While the Lord did not immediately create a pure vessel for carrying the Word of God, as His Father did with Isaiah. His response was none the less to make the call and receive a wordless “Here I am,” I said; “send me!” The disciples left all they owned and followed him.
Our lives are similarly themed by call and response. As disciples of Jesus we are called to continue the work started by Peter, Andrew, James and John who began their journey of response in the Gospel today. We are unworthy of that call as were Isaiah who said; “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips” and St. Paul as he recounted; “…as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me”.
What is clear to us is that God takes us as we are, gives us the grace we need and then expects us to make a faith response. That response may be as simple as prayer for others, and ourselves, or it may be as all encompassing as a vocation to a formal ministry. The one message we must take from today’s scripture is we are called. No mater how meek or unworthy we feel; no mater how weak or unschooled our faith may feel, we are called. Today we are also given the expected response –
“Here I am,” I said; “send me!”
Pax
Readings for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Commentary:
Reading 1 Is 6:1-2a, 3-8
The Prophet Isaiah tells us the story of his call “In the year King Uzziah died” (742 B.C.) The prophet first relates his belief that he will die, since it is the common belief that no one who had not been purified could see the face of God and live. Then one of the seraphim flew to him and, using a coal from the fire at the altar (there would have been a fire for burning the holocaust – a sacrificial offering completely burnt as opposed to simply slaughtered).
With that coal, the seraphim touched Isaiah’s lips in symbolic cleansing, making the prophet worthy to proclaim God’s word. The Church remembers this event with the Priest’s blessing of himself or the Deacon with the words – “May the Lord open my (your) lips that I (you) may worthily proclaim the Holy Gospel; In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
The reading closes with that lyric that we express in song in “Here I am Lord” many other hymns.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
The response we use in this song of thanksgiving and praise links us to Isaiah’s vision of the seraphim in the first reading. We are also reminded of God’s saving power and his enduring faithfulness.
Reading II 1 Cor 15:1-11 or 15:3-8, 11
St. Paul cuts to the heart of the faith as he tells the Corinthians that first and of most importance we have the fact that Jesus, the Christ, died for our sins and on the third day was raised up. He goes on to offer proofs that Jesus was raised from the dead by giving what amounts to a chronology of his post resurrection appearances with which he includes his own vision on the road to Damascus. His last statement can be paraphrased as saying; “Regardless of who you hear it from that is truth and should be believed.”
Gospel Lk 5:1-11
Here we are given St. Luke’s account of the call of the first disciples. No mention is made here of Simon’s (Peter’s) brother Andrew who would also have been there and in fact as a disciple of John the Baptist actually introduced the two (John 1; 41 ff). We do hear that James and John, Zebedee’s sons were also there as Simon’s partners and are called at the same time.
Much like Isaiah in the first reading, Simon – Peter’s response to the Lord’s call is one of being sinful that thereby unworthy of the presence of the Lord. In response to Simon’s fearful humility, Jesus invites them all to leave what they have and become fishers of men.
Reflection:
The common thread that flows through our scripture today is “Call and Response”. In Isaiah we hear the prophet exposed to a vision of the throne of heaven and of God the Father. His response was fear since, being a sinful man, he was sure that he would not survive seeing God face to face. God’s response was to send one of his angels to purify Isaiah so that he could fulfill the mission he was called to.
In St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, we find the Apostle Paul referring to his own call; “Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me.” Note the humility as he refers to himself as unworthy of the grace he receives in seeing and being sent. He goes on to flesh out his unworthiness recounting his former life, persecuting Christ’s followers.
Finally we come to the Gospel story from St. Luke’s Gospel. Here we find Jesus requisitioning St. Peter’s boat and using it as speaking platform so more people could hear his words. In recompense for taking the owner away from his work he instructs Peter to move away from shore a short distance and lower his nets. Peter resisted indicating that it was the wrong time of day to catch anything but did as he was asked. (We must surmise from his response at this point that Jesus’ words, spoken to the crowd from his boat, must have inspired some faith within him since this was not a simple task.)
When the nets came back so full of fish they threatened to swamp not only Peter’s boat but his partner, Zebedee’s boat as well, his epiphany was complete. Much like Isaiah, out of fear, he responded; “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” While the Lord did not immediately create a pure vessel for carrying the Word of God, as His Father did with Isaiah. His response was none the less to make the call and receive a wordless “Here I am,” I said; “send me!” The disciples left all they owned and followed him.
Our lives are similarly themed by call and response. As disciples of Jesus we are called to continue the work started by Peter, Andrew, James and John who began their journey of response in the Gospel today. We are unworthy of that call as were Isaiah who said; “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips” and St. Paul as he recounted; “…as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me”.
What is clear to us is that God takes us as we are, gives us the grace we need and then expects us to make a faith response. That response may be as simple as prayer for others, and ourselves, or it may be as all encompassing as a vocation to a formal ministry. The one message we must take from today’s scripture is we are called. No mater how meek or unworthy we feel; no mater how weak or unschooled our faith may feel, we are called. Today we are also given the expected response –
“Here I am,” I said; “send me!”
Pax
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