This Sunday’s Liturgy is about being called and being sent by the Lord on a mission. In the First Reading, the prophet Isaiah saw his unworthiness though he served the temple as a priest of the Lord. When he admitted his sinfulness, the act of cleansing took place. Just then, he heard the Lord’s voice and had the freedom to respond to God’s call.

The Gospel proclamation describes the event of the Lord Jesus calling His first disciples. One could clearly see that it was not by accident that the Lord got into Peter’s boat. Having finished preaching, once the crowd went away, the Lord Jesus asked Peter to “put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4). It was the grace of God that gave the inner freedom to Peter to oblige with no resistance.

This moment of grace is given to all of us. Do we let it pass us by or respond like St. Peter? St. Peter’s response led to an awesome miracle. In fact, St. Peter was the activator of that miracle, not the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus as the author of creation, had already willed a massive swarm of fish to flock in that area of the sea, but if St. Peter did not oblige, the miracle would not have taken place. I wonder how many such miracles I would have lost, simply because I did not trust my Lord enough to obey His word?

At times we may ignore the Lord’s invitation and try to work out things on our own. But he is inviting us, offering us a solution…are we humble enough to accept his help? Or are we arrogant that we want to win without God’s help?

How do we respond to the wonders the Lord Jesus has done and continue to do in our lives? Do we imitate Prophet Isaiah and St. Peter by experiencing a deep internal breaking that reveals our own sinfulness and unworthiness? Or do we become proud and arrogant and boast about our spirituality? Or do we thank the Lord, leave Him, and go back to our old ways?

In the Second Reading St. Paul speaks about his own calling to become an apostle of the Lord whom he persecuted severely. Here too, the Lord Jesus decides that St. Paul, then Saul, be called to discipleship. St. Paul’s experience teaches us that it is only by the grace of God, that we have received the call to an intimate relationship with our Lord Jesus.

Today, before we set about our daily work, let us be mindful of the call God has placed in our lives. In everything we do, let us ask the Lord for His guidance to lead us through our day.

Prayer: Abba Father, you chose me to be holy and blameless in Your sight. Here I am, I have come to do Your will. Guide me Lord. Amen.