The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to contemplate our call to transform our talents to become followers of Jesus Way living as authentic caring people.
Called to serve
The reading from the Letter to the Colossians is a prayer for continued progress to Full Life.
* [1:9–14] Moved by Epaphras’ account, the apostle has prayed and continues to pray fervently for the Colossians that, in their response to the gospel, they may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will (Col 1:9; cf. Col 3:10). Paul expects a mutual interaction between their life according to the gospel and this knowledge (Col 1:10), yielding results (fruit, Col 1:10; cf. Col 1:6) in every good work: growth, strength, endurance, patience, with joy (Col 1:11), and the further giving of thanks (Col 1:12).1
Psalm 98 praises the Judge of the World.
* [Psalm 98] A hymn, similar to Ps 96, extolling God for Israel’s victory (Ps 98:1–3). All nations (Ps 98:4–6) and even inanimate nature (Ps 98:7–8) are summoned to welcome God’s coming to rule over the world (Ps 98:9).2
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus calls the First Disciples.
* [5:11] They left everything: in Mk 1:16–20 and Mt 4:18–22 the fishermen who follow Jesus leave their nets and their father; in Luke, they leave everything (see also Lk 5:28; 12:33; 14:33; 18:22), an indication of Luke’s theme of complete detachment from material possessions.3
Chas Kestermeier, S.J. comments that we read the Scripture, we study theology, we pray, we do all sorts of things to get closer to God, and sometimes we see people and things change before us in an almost miraculous way. We even find God changing our weaknesses, failures, and despair into hope and faith. These fishermen were truly seeking God and recognized him when he came even if they had much yet to learn.
But do we have the persistence and the courage to continue our search until that happens? Do we recognize it when it does? Can we continue, day in and day out, to believe that God is at work in us, with us, for us, and through us? And do we continue to seek to deepen that life in God by being willing to leave behind things that seem important to us so that we can follow Christ more easily and more completely, day in and day out, when we do see his Spirit at work right in front of us?4
Don Schwager quotes “By faith Peter casts the nets of Christ's teaching,” by Maximus of Turin (died between 408-423 AD).
"'That you may understand that the Lord was speaking of spiritual fishing, however, Peter says, 'Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.' It is as if he were saying, 'Through the whole night our fishing has brought us nothing, and we have been laboring in vain. Now I will not fish with fishing gear but with grace, not with diligence acquired by skill but with the perseverance acquired by devotion.' When Peter lets down the nets at the word, therefore, he is in fact letting down the teachings in Christ. When he unfolds the tightly woven and well-ordered nets at the command of the Master, he is really laying out words in the name of the Savior in a fitting and clear fashion. By these words he is able to save not creatures but souls. 'We toiled all night,' he says, 'and took nothing.' Peter, who beforehand was unable to see in order to make a catch, enduring darkness without Christ, had indeed toiled through the whole night. But when the Savior's light shone upon him the darkness scattered, and by faith he began to discern in the deep what he could not see with his eyes." (excerpt from SERMON 110.2.1)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Colossians 1:9-14 comments that another "pray-er” who blended praise with intercession was St. Julian of Norwich. Born around 1342 in Great Britain, she was separated from Paul by many years and miles. But if we listen to her describe the way she prayed for people, we can hear the similarities: “I look at God, I look at you, and I keep looking at God.”
In this posture of worship, try to visualize the person you want to pray for. Instead of immediately offering a prayer, take a moment to be still. Try to recognize any prayers that seem to be "bubbling up” within you. That may be the Spirit giving you a heavenly perspective on the person or situation you are praying for. But even if you don’t sense anything, you’re still interceding. You’re still being present to God on their behalf. And you can still pray God’s blessing upon them and mention their needs.6
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the continued thanksgiving in Colossians for the life they live that is worthy of the faith they practice. Jesus' command to ‘put out to fish” in the morning did not make sense to experienced fishers on the lake. Friar Jude reminds us that Jesus calls us to use our God given talents for others to build the Kingdom.
Brian McLaren grew up, as did Father Richard, in a very religious home, where “our story” was defined by strict religious obligations, with clear insiders and outsiders. However, a mystical experience in nature opened Brian up to God’s Great Story.
I had this feeling of being seen. Known. Named. Loved. By a Someone bigger than the sky that expanded above me. Young science geek that I was, I pictured myself lying on a little hill on a little continent on a little planet in a little solar system on the rim of a modest galaxy in a sea of billions of galaxies, and I felt that the great big Creator of the whole shebang was somehow noticing little, tiny me. It was as if the whole sky were an eye, and all space were a heart, and I was being targeted as a focal point for attention and love. And the oddest thing happened as this realization sank in. I began to laugh. I wasn’t guffawing, but I was laughing, at first gently, but eventually almost uncontrollably. Profound laughter surged from within me.7
Today we reflect on the experience of Divine Presence that called us closer to Christ and to love for others.
References
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