Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life

Will you put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch?

The gospel for Sunday, February 7, 2010 is the Call of the First Disciples. As the gospel is proclaimed imagine how Simon-Peter would tell the story.

Peter and his friends fished all night and were washing their nets. Jesus gets into Simon’s boat and continues to teach the crowds. When finished teaching, Jesus tells Peter where and how to fish! Peter is not exactly thrilled about this possibility but he goes. Peter is amazed at the abundance of fish that he has to call others to help out. Next Peter does something extraordinary, he falls to his knees and begs Jesus to “go away.” And Jesus said to Peter, “Do not be afraid: from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they (not only Peter, but James and John) left everything and followed him.

This story is action packed: Jesus calls. Peter hesitates. Jesus reassures. Peter leaves all and follows Jesus.

GOSPEL: Luke 5:1-11

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. (NRSV)

PRAYER by Thomas Merton

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,

and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you

does in fact please you.

And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything

apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this You will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though

I may seem to be lost and in trouble.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me,

and you will never leave me to face perils alone. Amen.