5th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Year C-2019
FIRST READING Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8
SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
GOSPEL Luke 5:1-11
My Encounter with God
The central theme of the Liturgy of the Word this Sunday is about the Encounter with God. The First reading from Isaiah 6:1-8 and the Gospel text Luke 5:1-11 describe to us the encounter of two individuals with God, and what happens to them in that encounter.
In the Gospel text of today, God in the person of Jesus encounters Simon in the place of his work. Jesus often meets us where we are, just as he encountered Zacchaeus on top of a tree (Lk. 19), the Samaritan woman at the well (Jn. 4), and Cleopa and his companion on the road (Lk 24). Jesus always meets us wherever we are. I do not know where did Jesus meets you? One thing is certain is that Jesus meets us wherever we are even in hiding.
Having fished the whole night and caught no fish, Simon and his companions were tired. They decided to wash their nests and make it ready for the next night. Here comes Jesus, a carpenter by formation or training. He tells them to go deep in the waters and cast their nests. You can imagine the feeling they had and their hesitation to cast the nest especially daylight.
What follows then, my dear brothers and sisters, is a theophany: a revelation of God. A great catch of fish at an untimely hour. The fisherman knows what it implies. This is not a coincidence. It is a miracle. Miracles are signs. After all this is not just a Carpenter. He is divine! This experience shakes up Simon. God overwhelms him.
It is not different from the God-experience of other men in the Old Testament. Abraham encounters God several times (Gen 12:7-9; Gen 18:1-33). Jacob encounters God in the wilderness (Gen 28:11-18) and in his wrestling with the ‘angel’/God (Gen 32:25-32). Moses encounters God in the burning bush (Ex 3:1-6), and again on the mountain (Ex 33:18-34:35).
In the first reading of today (Is 6:1-8) we heard the narration of the encounter between the Lord God and the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah insists that this experience was historical with his reference to the year (Is 6:1): “In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord God…”
The encounter with God helps us to know our selves, to accept ourselves and to be transformed. Hence the three stages which help us to encounter God are:
1. Self-awareness: due to the action of the Grace of God in me I begin to see who I am in the depth of my being. There are many ways of knowing myself – through psychology, for instance. There is a whole battery of tests that you can take to know what type of personality you are, and what psychological disorders you suffer from. These are still very peripheral. The self-knowledge that is possible in an encounter with God is deep. It is about the core of my self – in terms of your intentions, feelings and tendencies. This knowledge is direct and undeniable. This self-knowledge calls for humility, yes! But not discouragement and depression, because I can hear God telling me, “Do not be afraid. I am with you. I am going to make someone out of you.” Know yourself who you are, your weakness and your strength.
2. Self-acceptance. The Grace of God gives me the strength to own up my true self. This is what we hear from St Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians (15:9) as we heard it in our 2nd reading: “For I am the least of the apostles and am not really fit to be called an apostle…”
We need to accept ourselves first before accepting others. After knowing who we are, we need to accept ourselves. This builds the self-confidence in us.
3. Alchemy is the transformation of a lower element to a higher element. At this level, Abram becomes Abraham (Gen 17:5). Jacob becomes Israel (Gen 32:29). Saul becomes Paul (Acts 13:9). And Simon becomes Peter (Lk 5:8; Mt 16:18). This transformation in prayer is not like a New Year resolution. But it is a conversion. A metanoia! Again we hear St Paul telling us in the 2nd reading (1Cor 15:10): “…but what I am now, I am through the grace of God, and the grace which was given to me has not been wasted. Indeed, I have worked harder than all the others — not I, but the grace of God which is with me.”
We shall never encounter God and remain the same. Life needs to change for the better after encountering God.