Even though we are still in Ordinary time, at least until Wednesday, still we are called to conversion.  Each of our readings today speak to us about a transformation that God desires for each of us, for our own good.  Let me start with our Gospel and as I describe the scene, I invite you to picture yourself as Simon.

Our Gospel from Luke comes shortly after Jesus began his public ministry in which he preached in the Synagogues around Galilee and was praised by all.  He even went to his hometown of Nazareth and proclaimed that He was the Messiah, the fulfillment of all the prophets. And although those in Nazareth threw him out, many people throughout Galilee were seeking Jesus and bringing to him all who were sick, or possessed with a Demon, and Luke says that He healed them all.

Now we come to our Gospel today.  The sun is just breaking through the horizon, and already a great crowd had just found Jesus after looking for him all night, they were pressing in on him and listening to the word of God.  Nearby Simon was going about his business of washing his nets after a long but unsuccessful night fishing.  In order to get a little space from the people Jesus got into Simon’s boat and asked him to go out a short distance, Simon stopped what he was doing and out of the kindness of his heart he complied to Jesus’ request.  And Jesus taught the people there from Simon’s boat, imagine Jesus was continuing to tell the people the Good News that the Kingdom of God is at hand.  Can you imagine what would have been going through Simon’s head.  He didn’t know Jesus, but he knew Jesus had a great following.  Then listening to Jesus teach and preach to the people, how honored and and lucky Simon must have felt to be there in the same boat with the One who just might be the Messiah. 

Then after Jesus was done speaking, he asked Simon to put out into deep waters for a catch.  Simon said, “we have worked hard all night and caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets”.  Simon the master fisherman hasn’t caught anything all night, and now this Jesus person is asking him to go out into the deep waters at this time of the day.  Although he must have been physically tired after working all night and having just finished rowing back to the shore, and although knowing that it is hard to catch fish in the daytime, Simon was willing to ignore his own fishing expertise and physical tiredness and decided to obey Jesus.  What made him obey?  Maybe it was just out of curiosity, or maybe what Jesus said to the people had impacted Simon too and so he obeyed just in case what he said was true.  Or maybe he obeyed knowing that he would not have any income that day after catching nothing so it is worth the extra effort. When they did listen to Jesus, to their amazement, they caught such a great number of fish that both of the nets and boats were beyond capacity.  Realizing now for sure, that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, Simon bowed down in front of Jesus and repented of his unworthiness to be in the Presence of God.  Notice that when Simon knew Jesus was God, his outlook on life and his purpose of living had completely changed.  He could not just go back to his ordinary and mundane life of fishing just to make ends meet, no- Jesus gave him a new purpose, a new reason for living.

The same is true for Isaiah in our 1st reading.  Isaiah encountered the Lord and heard all the Angels sing- Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, the earth is filled with his glory.  Notice that this is what the Angels sang when Jesus was born in the manger, and this is what we sing in every Mass when we too are about to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist.  And notice how, like Simon, Isaiah recognized his sinfulness and unworthiness when he was in the Presence of God, such is what we do at every Mass, and what we must do in order to receive Him and be in Communion with God.  Notice also that after both Simon and Isaiah confessed their sinfulness, God forgave their sins and overlooked their unworthiness.  And God called them to his service, God sent them not to live for themselves but for His purpose.  My brothers and sisters, that is what such an encounter with the love and mercy of God does, it compels us to change our outlook and purpose of life, we are called to live not for ourselves but for Him.

If Simon and Isaiah isn’t evidence enough let us look at Paul in our 2nd reading for example as well.  Paul, talking to the Corinthians is encouraging them to keep the faith that he, like all the other apostles before him, received directly from Jesus, it is this faith in Jesus Christ that he preached and handed down to them.  Paul re-iterates this faith for them- that is Jesus became human, died for our sins, was buried, and has been raised from the dead as many of people have witnessed including the apostles.  Paul then recalls that Jesus revealed Himself to Paul, and although he was persecuting the Church the grace and mercy of God has not been ineffective but has made Paul a new person and has made him who he is today. 

My brothers and sisters, Paul is like a Bishop in the early Church.  He is teaching and encouraging the people in the life-giving faith of Jesus Christ.  The Church has always been about this- helping people to encounter Jesus in a deep and personal way, then teaching and encouraging people in the faith of Jesus Christ.  Paul did what all of us are called to do.  After we have encountered Jesus personally and received his love and mercy, not only in baptism but every Sacrament we receive, then we too must not let the grace be ineffective, but allow Christ to transform us.  We must live not for ourselves anymore, but for Him.  So what does NOT living for yourself but for Him look like?  It means putting God first and in the center of all you do, that you seek to do God’s will in all that you do, every big or small decision in life.  That you see all that you have is a gift from God and is given for a purpose, for his service.  That you have the perspective that the job you have is not just as a means to make money for yourself, but is an opportunity for you to serve others in the name of the Lord.  What gratitude Simon, and Isaiah, and Paul had in God revealing Himself and calling them, and how much happier they are for letting God transform them.  May it be so for us too, beginning here and now.

You now have an opportunity to do just that through the annual Diocesan Charity and Development Appeal.  Watch and listen to this video to see all the good that the CDA does for the poor in our community.

The Diocese has given Corpus Christi with the goal of $260,000 this year, which if past years is any indication I trust we will meet.  However, I am not so much concerned with reaching our goal, but in each family doing their part.  Last year, only about 15% of the parish gave to the CDA.  I encourage you to take a few minutes and pray about how much God is asking you to give.  If you did not give anything last year, can you give something, even if it is only $1, at least you can say you honestly did what you could.  Or perhaps God is calling you to stretch yourself a little and trust that the Sacrifice you make for God will not go unrewarded.  Feel free to give now or in the next couple of weeks through putting it in the collection, mailing it, or online.  Whatever amount you give, make it as an effort to show God that are taking the gifts He has given you, and that you want to live not just for yourself but for service to Him and His people.  Thank you for your prayerful consideration,

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