Readings: Isaiah 6, 1-8; Psalm 138, In the Sight of the Angels I will Sing Your Praises, Lord; 1 Corinthians 15,1-11; Luke 5, 1-11.
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Reflections on the Readings
A brief few words about our first reading from Chapter 6 of Isaiah. This reading could in fact easily begin the book of Isaiah. It gives us the call of Isaiah. King Uzziah has died after reigning for over 40 years, 40 years of great security and prosperity.
We are told of a vision, which the prophet sees of God, and notice the threefold repeating of the word Holy. Only God is holy, all holiness. The prophet proclaims that he is doomed because mere humans cannot look at God.
In our second reading, from Paul, he reminds us that he too saw the Risen Lord, and his response, like Peter’s in our gospel reading, it is the same, unworthiness.
The readings all show up the same response from humans when faced with God. And in each case God is able to reach thru the response and draw the person into a relationship of discipleship.
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Homily
What happens when we come face to face with God? In each of our three readings today this is what we hear about. For Isaiah it is a vision of God who is Holy, holy holy! And Isaiah’s reaction is similar to Peter’s and later to Paul’s, one of unworthiness in the face of God’s goodness. But God is able to reach thru that tendency to turn away and invite all three into a relationship of discipleship.
Our presence here today also comes from some kind of encounter with God, maybe not as Isaiah’s vision of God surrounded with angels, or Peter’s encounter thru the miraculous catch of fish, or Paul’s vision of Light, but in some way God has reached into our lives, whether thru the action of our parents having us baptized, or thru an encounter with someone as an adult, which caused us to want to be here, we each got up this morning and among all of the options available to us, we chose to be here!
And as we celebrate our Liturgy together we too will acknowledge our own unworthiness, several times. We start with our penitential rite, in the Our Father we ask God to forgive us, in the Lamb of God we sing “Have mercy on us” and before communion we say “I am not worthy”. But God has managed to reach thru to us, which is why we are here.
But now the question we need to start answering is “what does it mean to be a disciple?” God enters my life, so what?
Let’s take a simple example. When two people become friends, their lives are different as a result, and depending on the kind of friendship, so too the effect on their lives. When Gayle and I met, I was single and living in an apartment in Carrollton, and she was single and living in her home in Highland Village. When we decided to be married, we both left the comfort of our previous lives and set off for California. This had a big impact not just on our lives but also on the lives of our kids!! I am sure each one of you can tell stories of how your lives were changed as a result of different relationships you entered into.
So too with our relationship with God. What is the change? What does God want in a relationship? For Isaiah, it was to be a prophet to the people of Judah, for Peter it was to become a “fisher of men” and for Paul, it was to tell the whole world, or as much of it as he could get to in those days, about God.
Our instructions are equally clear, Love God and love one another. How am I doing in that area?
In every relationship, one thing that has to happen is that we have to get to know each other. Anna in the musical “The King and I” sings that lovely song “getting to know you”, and we too need to continue to ‘get to know God’. We do so thru our presence here, by listening to his Word. In any relationship, we will also go out for a meal. And thru sharing food, we get to know each other better.
And so we are here today celebrating a Memorial Meal with God. We are reminded during the Eucharistic Prayer to “Do this in Memory of me”. It is another way of our staying in touch with God. As a people, we have heard the Church Bell, and responded by coming together as a People, to Listen to God’s Word and to “remember Jesus’ Last Meal with His disciples.
What does all this mean for us today We are called to be a people of Hope, of Love and Forgiveness, a kind of light of Joy to the World.
In the words of St Francis:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen
Picture 1: Mass beginning with Tony & Kevin
Picture 2: Sean
Picture 3: Gilbert with Georgie & Zoe in his lap
Picture 4: Jo with Hunter, Audrey, and Dillon