Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Cycle C 2019

 

Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8

1 Corinthians 15: 1-11

Luke 5:1-11

 

We have written extensively about 2^nd and 3^rd Isaiah up to this point in both cycles A and B. Today’s scripture is from 1^st Isaiah and may be some of the original words from Isaiah himself and not things that scribes at later times added to the scripture account about him.

 

Like most prophets, and many in ministry today, a call by the Lord to serve Him starts with a very deep emotional response that they are unworthy to undertake the mission God has in store for them. He starts out by saying that he has seen the Lord, which is very unusual. In Exodus 33:11 we are told that God would speak to Moses face to face, but we also hear that God would only let Moses see His back since ‘my face you cannot see, for no man sees me and still lives.”

 

His vision of seeing the Lord in the temple was not unique for prophets, and the smoke of the incense burned may have been a large contributing factor in seeing a heavenly vision. Prophets in the 8^th century BC were expected to have visons of the Lord because they believed it to be possible.

 

When Isaiah hears the Seraphim proclaim the holiness of the Lord, it deeply affects Isaiah and he confesses his unworthiness, his impurity. While he does not admit to a specific sin, the human condition is such that we are all sinners, we are all impure, but God knows that already.

 

To resolve the impurity issue, one of the seraphim goes to him with a burning ember from the altar and touches his lips to purify him. Now being purified, Isaiah hears the call of the Lord saying “whom shall I send” to tell the people of Jerusalem of their impending doom because of their wickedness. Isaiah bold proclaims, “here I am, send me.”

 

Dan Schutte has written a very moving piece of music to this theme of Isaiah answering the call of the Lord, called “Here I Am, Lord’ in 1981. For anyone who has heard this song will know from experience on just how moving it is in their lives. It is one of the first songs I found myself crying to in church.

 

One of the things that the Corinthians did not understand was a misinterpretation of the resurrection of the body. They believed that there was no resurrection, however Paul points out to them that both the Greek and Jewish traditions taught otherwise. He has to review and summarize his entire teaching to them again so that they might begin to dispel their wrong beliefs.

 

He has to remind them that they have become family through baptism and the gospel messages preached to them. He has to get them to und4erstand that the gospel is just not some doctrine or catechetics, but that it contains the power to save if they remain committed to the teaching. If they do not remain committed, then they have converted in vain. Paul goes on to say that it is not he, but the grace of God given to him that enables him to do all he has taught and accomplished.

 

Our Gospel from Luke today is the call story for His first apostles, the fishermen. In this story Simon has the spot light whereas in Mark 1:16-20, the call is shared between two sets of brothers. The author of Luke is setting up a very significant change that is about to happen.

 

Jesus is teaching the people the word of God while standing on the lake shore. As the crowds begin to swell in size, he cannot be heard or seen by all. He sees the boats on the shore while the fishermen are cleaning their nets after being out all-night fishing. He approaches Simon and asks him to take him out a short distance from shore so He can continue to teach the people.

 

After teaching the crowds Jesus turns to Simon and tells him to go out a little further from shore to lower their nets. Simon protests that they had been out all night and came back with nothing. Simon must have known Jesus or at least had heard of Him and His teaching to say, “at your command I will lower my nets.” As we hear, they catch so much fish they have to call for the other boat to come and help them.

 

Here is where we see a very subtle, but very significant change occurring when scripture says “When Simon Peter saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus,” and began to acknowledge that he was a sinful man. This name change from Simon to Simon Peter leads to us to hear that Peter will be a fisher of men. This act of faith, this act of obedience by Simon is the start of their new lives, because when they get to shore, they leave everything behind to follow Jesus.

Another significant change we see is that Peter does not call Him Master as he once did, but now calls Him Lord. He is the first person in Jesus public ministry to do so. This testing of Peter’s faith ensures he will be the “Rock” on which the faith of the church is built and will prevail.

 

As we heard in our reading from Isaiah today, and what we have heard and learned about prophets and those individuals called to serve the Lord, Peter acknowledges his sinfulness. What is not said, but what is standing right there in front of our eyes is that God and His Son did not call the perfect people, did not call the righteous people, did not call the good people, but the call was sent out to those who can stand before God and acknowledge that they are sinful and that through God’s grace, just like Paul received, we strive to become a more loving, more forgiving and a more obedient individual who will serve the people whom God puts in our path.

 

Forgive me Lord for I am a sinner and by the grace of God I am also a child of God called to serve You and Your people.