The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, February 8, 2004
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 6:1-8
Psalm 138:1-8
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Sometimes it’s fascinating to see the way gospel stories unfold - how Jesus patiently waits for some very common human situation as the stage for Him to teach an unforgettable lesson. Today’s story is one of them. The fisherman-apostles have worked hard all night and have accomplished nothing. Do you know that kind of feeling, where nothing seems to come together no matter how hard you have tried?

Enter Jesus, who tells Peter to try again, perhaps not in the same way, but in the way He directs. Human nature being what it is, usually bristles at such suggestions because it seems to infer that the initial efforts were not sufficient or quite right. Instead, Peter demurs to Jesus -- after a brief and polite defense of his efforts:
“if You say so, I’ll lower the nets again.”

We know the results: an astonishing catch of fish!

Now, the Lord didn’t mean to diminish Peter’s expertise as a fisherman, but rather to determine if Peter in the final analysis would obey.

We see the reward for obedience and politeness - an outcome that was thought impossible.

It is a great lesson: obedience (and politeness). It gets results not only from the Almighty, but sometimes even from the not-so-almighty. It’s worth considering though, isn’t it?

- Donna Nelson, ocds
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

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posted by joachim at 4:09 AM