SINFULNESS AND UNWORTHINESS OF THOSE CALLED BY GOD
It is beautiful to see the characteristics of sinfulness and unworthiness in the life and person of all those called by God. A true vocation comes with a deep sense of unworthiness to respond to the calling of God.
The joyful truth is that God does not choose the perfect but perfect those he has chosen for his service.
THOSE WHOM THE LORD CALLED
The history, character and person of those whom God called into his project of evangelization and salvation and how he called them has a lot to teach us.
They were never extraordinary people but humble, simple and ordinary men and women chosen by God purely out of grace. Many of them after the theophanic manifestation of the holiness and glory of God in their lives. They came to always recognize their sinfulness genuinely.
It is fundamental to note and know that holiness before God is not a life without sins, defects or failures. It means a life of being set apart by the grace of God. Clearly, it means also that despite their creatureliness, the grace of God would be sufficient for them.
OUR VOCATION IS GRACE
Hence, it is all grace and nothing else the Christian life and vocations. As such, the most appropriate song for our liturgical celebration today is AMAZING GRACE.
Apparently, our vocational calling as Christians, priests, religious o faithful martial or single life is a call of grace. St Paul articulated this when he affirms that, where sin abounds, grace abounds much more Romans 5:20.
The readings of this Sunday present us Isaiah, Paul and Peter divine encounter with the Lord of Glory and the feeling of unworthiness before his presence.
In essence, the priestly, religious, martial and Christian vocations are not but purely the grace of God. In fact, this should lead us to humbly admittance that we are nothing without the grace and mercy of God.
There is nothing we were, are or would be that is not but the grace of God acting or working through us. We would have been the greatest of sinners if not for the grace of God. Hence, we can never be boastful in ourselves, but in God whose, grace makes us worthy to be who we are today.
OUR THEME
The readings of this Sunday present us the divine encounter of Isaiah, Paul and Peter with the Lord of Glory and their feeling of unworthiness before his presence. The three readings tell us about the theophany of God working in a significant way in the lives of those God chose and called in human history.
Through the theophany, the holiness and glory of God are revealed to us, and they always make us conscious of our sinfulness before God. Isaiah and Peter felt the same when God chose them to be his instruments to bring salvation to others like them.
It is evidently clear that God does not call us saints, angels or holy people. He often calls sinful men and women in need of salvation, mercy and grace to be his salvation instruments in the world.
Likewise, God will not send us as saints, angels or holy people to preach the kingdom of grace, mercy and repentance. As there is always a danger for a sanctimonious or religious person to look down on those with weaknesses. Obviously, Christ wants men and women with weaknesses or vulnerabilities. Those who are capable of sympathizing and empathizing with the failings of others who struggle like them.
God has always called men and women who have no significance to grace and glory. He always raised these simple and humble men or women who knew their limitations before God and men. Men and women acknowledged their sinfulness and unworthiness but were open to the grace and mercy to act in their lives. This is the story or history of our human salvation.
The readings remind us of this Salvific truth about God. That is, God chooses men and women who are humble enough to acknowledge and admit they are sinful. People who feel inadequately but know that the grace of God makes them whole and worthy to heed his call.
In other words, there is a sense of divine restoration through the grace and mercy of God, and it is what strengthens or encourages us to face God despite our sinfulness or unworthiness.
FIRST READING: ISAIAH 6:1-8
Prophet Isaiah, after seeing and experiencing the theophanic vision of the glory and holiness of God: humbly declared, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips.”
In other words, Isaiah saw his own wretchedness before the holiness of God. He saw himself as a sinful person unworthy of the presence of God, yet, the grace and mercy of God assure him of God working through him.
Additionally, when Isaiah recognized and admitted to his sinfulness or unworthiness.
The admittance makes God purify him of all his inquiries, as there was a divine touch from the Holy Seraph that cleaned him from his guilt and sins. He was empowered to respond with readiness to be sent by God.
Hence, Isaiah responded to the call of God with enthusiasm. He has been purified by the grace of God.
Interestingly, the self-righteous individuals are outside the grace, mercy, and salvation of God. It is those who are humble to admit to their vulnerabilities, inadequacies and weaknesses that experience the mercies of God.
Isaiah was adequately prepared to face the task of God for him after he was purified by grace. Our Christian faith and experience teach us that it is the choice of God to call not the holy, great and wonderful but the humble, ordinary and sinful people. It is a divine demonstration that God can use anything or transform anyone into a viable instrument of salvation.
PSALM 137 OR 138
The psalmist invites us to acknowledge the Lord with thanksgiving in the presence of the holy angels. He affirms: in the sight of the angels, I will sing your praises, Lord.
This is a song of praise from someone that God has chosen despite his sinfulness or unworthiness. There is holistic or complete salvation from the grace and mercy of God.
When we experience this holistic restoration of God amid our unworthiness. We cannot but sing and praise God for his unmerited work of salvation in us.
In summary, the psalmist recognizes the mercy of God over him and offers a prayer of gratitude for just such a calling.
SECOND READING: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-11
Today, St. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthian Christians, did testify on how God works in human history and the journey of faith of his people, especially him. He declares that all he was, is and would be are for the grace and mercy of God. For I amâĤ not fit to be called an apostle because I persecuted the Church of God. Nevertheless, by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them. Though not I, but the grace of God that is with me.¨
Paul judges himself to be unworthy of the name apostle or the call to follow Christ, as he was a former persecutor of the Christians. Yet, he was the last apostle selected by the Risen Lord Himself. Hence, Paul also acknowledged, “I am the least of the apostles.”
The conversion of Paul was through a theophanic revelation of Jesus Christ himself to him on his way to Damascus to prosecute the Christians. It is one of the humble experiences in the life of Paul as it was a life-changing moment for Paul as he would make allusion to it, two in the course of his ministry.
The ambitious religious lifestyle of Paul and the encounter with Christ that led to his conversion to Christianity makes him understand that life and existence in Christ is pure grace. In fact, the whole of Pauline teaching, theology and spirituality is summed up in one word: grace.
THE GOSPEL: LUKE 5:1-11
The gospel text of today, Luke 5: 1-11, the call of the apostle Peter dramatically and humbly. It is best virtually presented by the movie series the Chosen, a television drama based on the life of Jesus of Nazareth. A self-funded television series created, directed, and co-written by American filmmaker Dallas Jenkins.
The way, scenes of the life of Peter before encountering Christ as Portrayed by the movie. It shows that the life of Peter was nothing but a crisis of faith and values. At the peak of his frustration, a night before encountering Christ. Peter was made to question the promises of God to Israel alongside the generational pains of the Jews, like the treatment of Israel living under Roman oppression in his days.
Hence, Jesus chose the right spot and moment to intervene in the life of Peter. It was after a long night of frustration and hopelessness. Jesus clearly and intentionally borrowed the boat of Peter to teach the crowd.
Possibly, Peter must have listened disinterestedly to the teaching of Christ. Perhaps, he was preoccupied with worries about what next. On how he was he going to fend for his family. At the same time, pay off his numerous taxes debts to the Roman authorities.
PUT OUT INTO THE DEEP WATER
The setting of the Chosen makes it looks like Jesus gave short teaching to face Peter and his predicaments. He was not a fisherman, but he invited Peter to put out into the deep water for catch with absolute certainty.
With the personality or character of Peter, he must have laughed at Jesus. May thinking aloud to himself, what does this preacher know about fishing. Thus, we see him reluctant or with hesitancy unmotivated to do what Jesus asked of him.
Anyone who knows the science or technique of fishing should know that fishing at that time Jesus told Peter to cast the net was a fruitless effort.
However, Peter did obey Jesus after he registered his frustration with Christ. Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing yet if, you say so, I will let down the nets.
Here, Jesus invited Peter to take a leap of faith despite the frustration and hopelessness. One of the tragedies or disasters of most people in life is that they give up too soon after one effort or attempt.
THE CATCH AND THE CALL
Peter made a catch of fish beyond his imagination and expectation. It was a miraculous catch contrary to all science or technique of fishing. It is a moment of theophany when God in Jesus reveals his divinity to Peter.
This moment of huge catch also represents the future task of Peter catching people for the Lord. Through Peter, the Church of Christ would be filled with countless members.
Hence, Jesus capitalized on the moment to invite Peter to a fundamental cause of collaborating with him in his kingdom project.
SINFULNESS AND UNWORTHINESS
The past lifestyle of Peter, his doubt of what Jesus told him to do and possibly dismissal of Christ in his mind. These all flooded him with a deep sense of sinfulness or unworthiness.
The best part here was actually the humility of Peter to recognize his creatureliness and sinfulness. The theophanic revelation of God in this way in his life reset everything in his once doubtful life.
Once more, Peter, in the presence of Christ, fell to his knees and accepted, “go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” Despite the unworthy declaration of Peter, the Loving Lord with encouraging and strengthening words makes him respond generously to his calling.
OUR VOCATION
Humbly, Peter admitted his unworthiness and inadequacies. Yet, God chose him to be his collaborator and catcher of men. We do not need to be saintly, angelic or perfect to respond to the call of God.
Fundamentally, it is established that the purpose of Christian, religious and priestly vocations is to bring people closer to Christ. Thus, it is paramount to have men and women with weaknesses. Those who will be capable of feeling, relating and connecting to others with failings or struggles of others like them.
Truly, it takes only one with weaknesses and vulnerabilities to comprehend others going through the same struggles and failures.
Finally, God does not need saints, angels or holy people as bearers of Christ to the world. He needs broken men and women by sins, weaknesses, failures and struggles. That is, those who know their limitations or inadequacies and still submit themselves to complete through grace what is lacking in them.
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS
How often am I ready to open myself to the theophanic revelation of God in my life?
Do I know or see my unworthiness and admit my sinfulness before God?
Despite your inadequacies and vulnerabilities, are you ready to submit yourself to the grace of God?
Do you know God does not call as saints, angels and holy people but as repentant sinners who know the mercy of God?
MAIN POINTS OF OUR REFLECTION
There is always a theophany of God that reveals himself before he calls us to commit ourselves to him. This manifestation of the holiness of God exposes our creatureliness or sinfulness in need of salvation, mercy and grace.
Hence, our vocations: Christian, martial, religious or priestly is nothing but the grace of God. In fact, life as it is all grace. This is the pillar of Pauline theology and spirituality.
God uniquely calls us with no pre-conditions of what, who or how we should be, but just our disposition to cooperate with his grace and mercy.
God is a God of surprises. We can never predict where, when or how we can meet Him. Or He will meet us in life. It is a challenge for us not to look for God in the great, magnificent or extraordinary things. The historical manifestation of theophany, God, we often seek him in simple and ordinary things. As well as in the ordinariness of those we see around us.
It was by giving these three men a deep conviction of their unworthiness and of their need for total dependence on the grace of God that prepared them for their missions.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, You are my Amazing Grace, and how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now am found T’was blind, but now I see. May your grace and mercy make us worthy to worship you like Isaiah, to serve you like Paul and to follow you like Peter and may that grace be sufficient for me in my weaknesses.
May we live out the Christian calling, life and its testimony as all for the GRACE OF GOD working through our human weakness. Help us with the same GRACE to respond to our respective vocations as Christians, priests, religious, martial or single life with courage and humility. Amen!
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