CASTING INTO THE DEEP WATERS

HOMILY FOR THE 5^TH SUNDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

There is this awesome similarity that the readings of this Sunday present to us. The First Reading (Isaiah 6:1-8) narrates the episode of how Isaiah was commissioned by God. Paul tells the story of his ministry and status in the Second Reading (1 Cor. 15:1-11), while the Gospel (Luke 5:1-11) tells the story of the call and change of profession of Peter and a few other disciples of Christ. In these three readings are three great personalities, Isaiah, Paul and Peter who passed through moments of inferiority complex in their answer towards the call. Indeed, they were not spontaneous volunteers. Their acceptance of the call was as a result of a somewhat persuasion, because they felt unworthy of it. Isaiah needed a push to accept that he was fit to become a prophet. Paul reminded himself of how he was caught on the way while persecuting the Church and thus should be regarded as the least of the apostles. Peter pleaded with Jesus to depart from Him for he was a sinful man who was not worthy of him. They all started by admitting their unworthiness, sinfulness, and shortcomings, but ended up doing great things by their acceptance of the call of God. They were obedient to “cast into the deep waters”, and for that reason they made a good catch. They abandoned themselves totally to the will of God in their mission. Faith is our response to God's invitation.

1. Relying on God and admitting our unworthiness is the first way to success in our spiritual and daily life. Isaiah, Paul and Peter relied not on their own resources but on God’s help. They each did an amazing job. Beginning with such conviction helped them not to seek their own glories but the glory of the one who called them. Their sense of unworthiness grew out of their sense of God. The discovery of one’s own spiritual poverty opens the soul up to receive what God is offering. Human pride, the feeling of self-sufficiency and self-righteousness are sure ways to become failures. When we recognize our weakness and sinfulness, the power of God becomes our strength and courage, for his grace is ever sufficient for us. When we make ourselves empty, God can fill us in. When we don’t shy away from our weakness, God strengthens us. When we are poor, God enriches us. When we are humble, God exalts us. Encountering Jesus brings us face to face with our unworthiness. And the awareness of our unworthiness challenges us to be humble.

2. In the Gospel, Jesus encountered Peter and the other apostles at the sea of Galilee. They had worked all through the night but caught no fish. As they were disembarking from the boats, Jesus met them and embarked on one of the boats to preach and teach from there. It was Simon Peter’s boat. Jesus was aware of their business and how they had failed all through the night. He was there to give them hope again. These apostles were doing their business and the Lord encountered them there. The Lord encounters us in the seriousness and the weariness of our daily business. Once upon a time, St. Francis of Assisi was working in his garden, some of his young disciples stopped by to engage him in some theological speculation. One of them asked him what he would do with the rest of the day if he were to receive a message that it was his last day to live. Francis immediately answered: first, I would finish this work in my garden.” Having faith does not entail laziness in our jobs. God wants us to work that he may encounter us in the seriousness and the weariness of that job.

3. These men were not successful in their business as fishermen that night until they encountered Jesus. Without Jesus, there was no fish. With Jesus, there was abundance. What does this tell us? If only we can introduce Jesus into our daily businesses and life, then can we experience this grace of abundance that Peter and the rest did experience. Recognizing their frustration, Jesus invited Simon to cast into the deep waters. And those nets that had been washed were again used. Those nets that caught nothing were filled to tearing point. Those nets knew the voice of the master and obeyed. Those fishes recognized the presence of their creator and rushed into those nets that were let down from the boat wherein He, Jesus stayed. They wanted to experience and obey their creator. The fishes were so numerous that the apostles signalled for help. Is it not true that we tend to forget Jesus during the darkness of our careers, during the feeling of emptiness and during crisis moments thinking we can solve the problems by our own efforts and reasoning? Invite Jesus, cast into the deep waters and be ready to share the abundance testimony.

4. We must not forget that one of the reasons they had this experience of abundance was because Peter obeyed Jesus and tried again. Tired as Peter was, he was ready to try again; he made another effort: but at your command, I will lower the nets. Reluctant as Isaiah was, he was ready to become a prophet because he was called by God: here I am, Lord, send me. Stubborn as Paul was, he was ready to allow the Lord use him: for by the grace of God, I am what I am. The disposition to obey and try again is needed. Most people are ready to give up so soon. We must live with the conviction that even when we feel the end of something has come, it does not mean we stop the effort. We may find ourselves working hard and hard, and yet nothing tangible to show for it. At that moment, we need not give up, for even the word ‘END’ can mean Effort Never Dies. Sometimes, it may seem hopeless to continue, but remember what Peter did: I will do so because you have said so. And the miracle happened. If we really need our own miracle, we must take Jesus at his words when he invites us even to attempt the impossible.

5. They left everything, even the numerous fishes they caught and followed Jesus. This is surprising!!! One would have expected them to sell the fishes for more income so as to make the profit they needed having worked all night in frustration, but suddenly succeeded in the morning. The night was over, the night that was the prime time for a good catch. Yet, they never succeeded. Their success came in the morning, a time when they were preparing to go home in frustration. After succeeding, they still left everything. This is because they encountered a higher value. They now needed to move from casting their nets into the deep waters to casting their nets into the deep world. This is the higher value, and they were ready for this. Peter, James and John had sacrificed everything they have got for the sake of Jesus. Their business empire got increased, but that did not distract them. Instead, they shared the resources to others. They brought out the boat to the shore, left everything, most probably for the other fishermen that helped them, and went with the Lord to evangelize. It is left for us to answer the question: how often are we ready to share our resources to others for the sake of our encounter with Jesus?

These are the ways we can cast into the deep waters. May Christ’s presence never depart from our daily jobs and lives. Amen. Happy new week. God bless you.