Sunday Reflection
5th Sunday Ordinary Time
Gospel Reflection for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C – February 10th 2013
Full scripture for this Sunday is available on our parish website. Daily Scripture is also available. Our parish Prayers of the Faithful for this Sunday are made available on the Dublin Diocesan website.
SCRIPTURE
Jesus was standing one day by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the crowd pressing round him listening to the word of God, when he caught sight of two boats close to the bank. The fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.- He got into one of the boats-it was Simon’s-and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
When he had finished speaking he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch’. ‘Master,’ Simon replied ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’ And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signalled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them; when these came, they filled the two boats to sinking point.
When Simon Peter saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man’. For he and all his companions were completely overcome by the catch they had made; so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners. But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch’. Then, bringing their boats back to land, they left everything and followed him.
Luke 5: 1-11
REFLECTION
Intimacy brings out our best and worst. Peter in a close friendship with Jesus who sees he is a good fisherman and a sinner but that he may have a future of goodness. All his life Peter would make excuses for himself and try to get out of things. He learned that it is never too late to move deeper into the relationship with God. God is always trying to bring us into love with him.
Place of Life
One way is being familiar with the gospel which brings to life the life of Jesus and his love which is at the centre of Christian faith. All renewal and refreshment of our faith goes back there. In the middle of all the church crises at the moment, one big area of strength is the gospel. He preached the word to them…the beginning of the gospel. This is the main place of finding our faith and love again which is not always found in church structures which need a lot of renewal, with a need for much greater shared participation in the church.
A Gospel a Day
We share the gospel, young and old….Maybe you might take the gospel home, or you have one already. Read a bit a day or next week’s gospel…live with it and let the words reach the heart. I prayed this last week and I got from it – throw out the nets again. Another time, another line may strike me.
See the life of Jesus, the life of Peter and the conversions we know in our own lives. God brings out the best in us and helps us; when we are at our worst it brings out the best in God.
Lord, let me know your kindness in all the ups and downs of life.
Donal Neary SJ
