February 2, 2007
The Calling of Simon Peter
People have different attitude toward worthiness. Worthiness is a quality of being deserving; the quality of being worthy of praise, recognition or reward. We hear people’s saying different sentiments of being worthy - “I AM worthy” or “I’m OK, you’re OK” or “I buy this product because I’m WORTH it”?
I remember someone said, “Why do we have to go Church if we are sinners; if we commit the same sin again and again? Isn’t it hypocrisy to attend Sunday Mass if we are but sinners? Why will I go to Church if I’m not worthy?
Well. Who are qualified? Who are worthy? Who is holy? No one is worthy but the Lord. We do not celebrate the Eucharist because we are perfect, unblemished and holy people. We are gathered here today before the Altar of Lord because we are people who long to receive God’s grace and forgiveness for we are not worthy. We make ourselves aware that cannot stand alone without God.
Before receiving the Holy Communion in each Mass we echo the word of the Roman soldier when he says, “Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof. Only say the word and I shall be healed.” Thus we say, “Lord I am not holy to receive you but only say the word and I shall be healed.”
Now let us review the Gospel last Sunday. The Gospel reading last Sunday ended with a scene when Jesus was threatened by the people. Remember Jesus was proclaiming himself to be the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy. People tried to kill him but Jesus managed to avoid them; he was able to escape from their hands.
The Gospel of St. Luke tells us today about Jesus’ search for someone who can help him. He needs people who are willing to work with him not in a part time basis, but someone who can dedicate his lifetime. Simon was an ordinary fisherman, whose life was occupied alone with his boat and nets. When Jesus saw Simon, he didn’t look at his status. Jesus didn’t care whether he is influential or not, whether he is educated or ignorant. Jesus asked Simon to follow him, to work for him; Jesus invited Simon to spend his time and energy for an important mission. Jesus invited Simon to give up his possession; his profession as fisherman; his comfort zones; perhaps even his family.
So unlike last Sunday’s Gospel the reading today has a happy ending – St. Luke says, “Then, bringing their boats back to land they left everything and followed him.”
The Gospel today is an invitation for us to reflect on the mystery of “call and response.” It is God who always call, and we are only unworthy people who respond to the invitation.
The 3 C’s[1]
Like Simon Peter, James and John, who were called by Jesus despite their unworthiness, so we too are called by God. To what does the Lord invite us? I’d like you to remember three C’s – Cross, Constancy and Company.
The first invitation of the Lord is an invitation to the Cross. When Jesus calls the first disciples and said, “Come follow me” also means “come die with me and share my cross”. To follow the Lord is to be nailed to the cross. According to tradition Peter was nailed to the cross but was turned upside down. St. Andrew, our patron saint, was also nailed to the cross in an X form. That is the first calling of the Lord – a call to the cross. However, our invitation to the Cross may not be interpreted literally as mere torturous crucifixion. Our invitation to the Cross could appear into different forms – could be invitation for us to sacrifice our time for other people, could be an invitation to swallow our pride, to forgive others, to pray more and to serve more than is required.
The second calling of the Lord is a call to Constancy. A call is not an event. A call is an everyday reality. Jesus calls Simon Peter by the seaside but the Lord continued to call him day by day. Since the call is given day by day, the answer must also be day by day. (My personal call to constancy – I didn’t said say in just one instant) Just as a man and woman get married and exhange “I do’s”, the “I do” is not an event in the wedding. The “I do” must be lived day by day. So it is a call to constancy. People who are faithful are people who have been tested by time.
The third calling of the Lord is a call for Companionship. When the Lord calls, the Lord calls personally. You and I are called by our Lord personally by name. Each of us are called personally not only to be companions of Jesus, but to be companions of each other. Peter is called personally to belong to the chosen twelve apostles. We are called personally by Jesus to give service to one another as one Christian family, and even to non-believers.
Those are the three C’s about our call. It is a call to the Cross. It is a call to constancy. It is a call for companionship.
Once the nets were lowered at Jesus' word, Peter and the others who were with him in the boat caught such a quantity of fish that the nets broke. Then the evangelist writes that "they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them." Even today the successor of Peter and those who are with him in the boat -- the bishops and priests -- beckon to those in the other boat -- the laity -- to come and help them.
Let us not be afraid especially when we find ourselves in deep waters; when we feel we are not unworthy to the task we are asked to do; let us not be afraid to lower our nets to the deep water, but let our response be the same response of Isaiah, “Here I am Lord… Send Me.”
We are called to follow the Lord, together. Amen.
[1] From the reflection of Bishop Socrates Villegas “Called to be Apostles” in his book Love Like Jesus, page 19.
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