Prayer Presence and Progress

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today resonate the role of our piety, study, and action in responding to Jesus' invitation to become fishers for faith, love, and truth.

Action as Fishers

The Reading from the Letter to the Colossians is a Prayer for Continued Progress.

* [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).

* [1:12–14] A summary about redemption by the Father precedes the statement in Col 1:15–20 about the beloved Son who is God’s love in person (Col 1:13). Christians share the inheritance…in light with the holy ones, here probably the angels (Col 1:12). The imagery reflects the Exodus (delivered…transferred) and Jesus’ theme of the kingdom. Redemption is explained as forgiveness of sins (cf. Acts 2:38; Rom 3:24–25; Eph 1:7). (Colossians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 98 extolls God for Israel’s victory.

* [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). (Psalms, PSALM 98 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke proclaims The Call of Simon the Fisherman. 

* [5:1–11] This incident has been transposed from his source, Mk 1:16–20, which places it immediately after Jesus makes his appearance in Galilee. By this transposition Luke uses this example of Simon’s acceptance of Jesus to counter the earlier rejection of him by his hometown people, and since several incidents dealing with Jesus’ power and authority have already been narrated, Luke creates a plausible context for the acceptance of Jesus by Simon and his partners. Many commentators have noted the similarity between the wondrous catch of fish reported here (Lk 5:4–9) and the post-resurrectional appearance of Jesus in Jn 21:1–11. There are traces in Luke’s story that the post-resurrectional context is the original one: in Lk 5:8 Simon addresses Jesus as Lord (a post-resurrectional title for Jesus—see Lk 24:34; Acts 2:36—that has been read back into the historical ministry of Jesus) and recognizes himself as a sinner (an appropriate recognition for one who has denied knowing Jesus—Lk 22:54–62). As used by Luke, the incident looks forward to Peter’s leadership in Luke-Acts (Lk 6:14; 9:20; 22:31–32; 24:34; Acts 1:15; 2:14–40; 10:11–18; 15:7–12) and symbolizes the future success of Peter as fisherman (Acts 2:41). 

* [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. (Luke, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Steve Scholer asserts that If we want to take up the challenge Jesus gave to Simon, the best place to start might be to deepen our own prayer life; seek the help of the Holy Spirit to feel comfortable sharing the good news; and pray that those with whom we interact will find a place in their hearts for God.

With the Holy Spirit at our side, some of us might share the good news when we encourage others to attend services, invite friends to participate in a Bible study group, or simply share stories of our faith.

Maybe just as important as overt actions intended to encourage others to know the Good News, is the need to focus on living our lives in a way that reflects God’s constant love for us. To demonstrate our faith through our deeds means actively serving others, forgiving those who have wronged us, and being a friend who will encourage and support others when in need.

By living our faith, we, too, can show others the endless joy we share because God is first and foremost in our lives. (Scholer, n.d.)

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) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Colossians 1:9-14 comments that growth happens in such tiny steps that it can be hard to see. So what does this type of growth look like? It still comes from the Holy Spirit’s work in us, and as we pay attention, we will start to see it.

With practice, you will become better at noticing the ways the Spirit is moving in your life. When you see God at work, whether in big or small ways, your hope grows, and so does your faith. So rejoice that God is so committed to you!

And while you’re at it, imitate St. Paul by pointing out how the Spirit is working in your friends or family. You just might help open their eyes to the Spirit’s ways!

“Holy Spirit, thank you for all the ways you have helped me grow closer to you!” (Meditation on Colossians 1:9-14, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Paul continued with thanksgiving and prayer for people and that their faith be expressed in everyday action. He realizes some will be martyred and the author recognizes that suffering for the Gospel brings joy. Driven by the Spirit and in trust and faith in the message of God, Jesus at the Lake sees fishers washing nets in the morning. Jesus speaks to the crowd from the boat in a natural amphitheater. Simon responds about the chance to catch people. “Depart from me a sinful man” is a typical response to the holy with awe, wonder and fear, as Jesus uses their natural talent to be transformed to “fishers of men”. Friar Jude reminds us that our gifts are for the building up of the Kingdom.

Fr. Richard Rohr shares the encouragement Brother Lawrence offers to a lay woman.

God does not ask much of us, merely a brief thought of them from time to time, a little love, sometimes asking for grace, sometimes offering them your sufferings, other times thanking them for the blessings they have given, and are giving you. In the middle of your tasks you can comfort yourself with Love as often as you can, in all these ways. During your meals and conversations, lift up your heart to God sometimes. The slightest little awareness will always be very pleasant. We don’t need to shout out to do this. God is closer to us than we may think…. 

Remember, I beg you, what I recommended. Think of God often, night and day, in all your activities, even when you relax. God is always near you and with you. Don’t leave them alone. You would think it rude to leave a friend alone who came to visit you. Then why abandon God and leave them alone? Don’t forget Love. Think of God often, and love them without stopping. (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the assistance of the Holy Spirit as we contemplate the action based on our situation and skills that the Lord wishes to be the seed of our transformation to be “fishers of people”.

References

Colossians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 4, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/colossians/1?9 

Luke, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 4, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/5?1 

Meditation on Colossians 1:9-14. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved September 4, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/09/04/1373502/ 

Psalms, PSALM 98 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 4, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/98?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 4, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/love-knows-what-we-can-do/ 

Scholer, S. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved September 4, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-4-2025 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). You Will Catch People for the Kingdom of God. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 4, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=sep4 

Commission to Evangelize

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer insight into the attitude and action of followers of Christ as they renew the face of the earth.

Make a Friend

The reading from the Acts of the Apostles examines how Barnabas and Saul are commissioned.

* [11:19–26] The Jewish Christian antipathy to the mixed community was reflected by the early missionaries generally. The few among them who entertained a different view succeeded in introducing Gentiles into the community at Antioch (in Syria). When the disconcerted Jerusalem community sent Barnabas to investigate, he was so favorably impressed by what he observed that he persuaded his friend Saul to participate in the Antioch mission. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 11, n.d.)

* [13:1–3] The impulse for the first missionary effort in Asia Minor is ascribed to the prophets of the Antiochene community, under the inspiration of the holy Spirit. Just as the Jerusalem community had earlier been the center of missionary activity, so too Antioch becomes the center from which the missionaries Barnabas and Saul are sent out. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 13, n.d.)

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). (Psalms, PSALM 98, n.d.)

In the Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches concerning the use of oaths.

* [5:37] Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No’: literally, “let your speech be ‘Yes, yes,’ ‘No, no.’” Some have understood this as a milder form of oath, permitted by Jesus. In view of Mt 5:34, “Do not swear at all,” that is unlikely. From the evil one: i.e., from the devil. Oath-taking presupposes a sinful weakness of the human race, namely, the tendency to lie. Jesus demands of his disciples a truthfulness that makes oaths unnecessary. (Matthew, CHAPTER 5, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, chosen for the Memorial of St. Barnabas, Jesus presides at the Commissioning of the Twelve.

* [10:8–11] The Twelve have received their own call and mission through God’s gift, and the benefits they confer are likewise to be given freely. They are not to take with them money, provisions, or unnecessary clothing; their lodging and food will be provided by those who receive them. (Matthew Chapter 10, n.d.)

Ed Morse comments that it takes all kinds of gifts for the Church to fulfill its mission.  Sometimes we need a voice of no and stop; at other times the voice of yes and keep going.

Lord, when we are weary, send Barnabas the encourager to help us along.  Help us to embrace his encouragement and to keep going in our life journeys, not giving up.  Like Barnabas, help us also to see the potential in others, even when they might fail us.  And like Paul, let us find a way to make peace with those who disagree with us.  And when we hear hard truths that may prove difficult for us to follow, let us not reject the messenger.  Instead, let us train our ears to hear your love calling out to us in the midst of that truth.  Thanks be to God. (Creighton U. Daily Reflection, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The Light of Truth,” by Chromatius (died 406 AD).

"By the grace of gospel teaching, the law given by Moses acquired an advantage. The law prescribes that one must not swear falsely; but according to the gospel one must not swear at all. The Holy Spirit had seen fit to order this through Solomon when he said, 'Do not accustom your mouth to oaths' (Sirach 23:9). And again: 'Even as a well-chastised servant is not deterred from envy, whoever swears and does business will not be purged from sin' (Sirach 23:11). Therefore it is absolutely inappropriate for us to swear. What need is there for us to swear when we are not allowed to lie at all and our words must always be true and trustworthy, so much so that they may be taken as an oath? On this, the Lord not only forbids us to swear falsely but even to swear, lest we appear to tell the truth only when we swear and lest (while we should be truthful in our every word) we think it is all right to lie when we do not take an oath. For this is the purpose of an oath: Everyone who swears, swears to the fact what he is saying is true. Therefore the Lord does not want a gap between our oath and our ordinary speech. Even as there must be no faithlessness in an oath, in our words there must be no lie. For both false swearing and lying are punished with divine judgment, as the Scripture says: 'The mouth that lies kills the soul' (Wisdom 1:11). So whoever speaks the truth swears, for it is written: 'A faithful witness will not lie' (Proverbs 14:5). (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 24.2.2-4) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3 comments that building the kingdom of God took more than just a desire to do good and to work hard. Barnabas needed the power of the Spirit, and he needed to learn how to be led by the Spirit.

We can use these three steps to learn how to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. Start with prayer, and ask him to guide you throughout your day. If you have a particular concern, ask him what to do. Next, listen. The Spirit will speak to you as you pray. Pay attention to any inspiration, especially something that you wouldn’t have thought of yourself. Then let the Holy Spirit move you to act on what you have heard. Like Barnabas, you can deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit and build the kingdom of God. “St. Barnabas, pray for us!” (Meditation on Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3, n.d.)

Rev. Frank Logue notes that Piety Study and Action form the basis of questions created for a Cursillo Reunion Group. Cursillo is a three-day retreat held in the Episcopal and Catholic churches. It is like Walk to Emmaus in the Methodist church and Tres Dias in other denominations, including pentecostal churches. Cursillo means "short course" and it is intended to be a short course in Christianity. The talks are given mostly by lay people about how they live out their faith day to day.

1. Piety Have I maintained my commitments in my Rule of Life?

2. With what other spiritual aids have I nourished my union with Christ?

3. What moment did I feel closest to Christ?
   
   

4. Study What have I studied that has increased my understanding of my relationship with God?
   
   

5. Action Apostolic Successes and disappointments—in my family, in my work, in my environment

6. How did my previous plans work out?

7. News of the Christian community?

8. What are my plans for the coming week?

9. Thanksgivings and intercessions.

(Piety, Study and Action, 2009)

Franciscan Media comments that Barnabas, a Jew of Cyprus, comes as close as anyone outside the Twelve to being a full-fledged apostle.

Barnabas is spoken of simply as one who dedicated his life to the Lord. He was a man “filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. Thereby, large numbers were added to the Lord.” Even when he and Paul were expelled from Antioch in Pisidia—modern-day Turkey—they were “filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” (Saint Barnabas, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the call of Barnabas to work with Paul in Antioch where the followers of Jesus were first known as Christians. The Hebrew formula for oaths “As Yahweh lives, this is true,” is potentially problematic in connecting falsehood to the death of Yahweh. Friar Jude reminds us to say “yes” or “no” and mean it.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, composed this prayer litany of the Holy Spirit, imagining the Spirit’s many descriptive names.

Pure Gift of God

Indwelling Presence

Promise of the Father

Life of Jesus

Pledge and Guarantee

Defense Attorney

Inner Anointing

Homing Device

Stable Witness

Peacemaker

Always Already Awareness

Compassionate Observer

God Compass

Inner Breath

Mutual Yearning Place

Hidden Love of God

Implanted Hope

Seething Desire

Fire of Life and Love

Truth Speaker

Flowing Stream

Wind of Change

Descending Dove

Cloud of Unknowing

Uncreated Grace

Filled Emptiness

Deepest Level of Our Longing

Sacred Wounding

Holy Healing

Will of God

Great Compassion

Inherent Victory You who pray in us, through us, with us, for us, and in spite of us.

Amen, Alleluia! (Rohr, 2022)

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 11. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/11?19#52011019 

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 13. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/13 

Creighton U. Daily Reflection. (n.d.). Online Ministries. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/061122.html 

Matthew, CHAPTER 5. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?33 

Matthew Chapter 10. (n.d.). USCCB Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mt/10?8#48010008 

Meditation on Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/06/11/408794/ 

Piety, Study and Action. (2009, June 12). Irenic Thoughts. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from http://kingofpeace.blogspot.com/2009/06/piety-study-and-action.html 

Psalms, PSALM 98. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/98?1 

Rohr, R. (2022, June 11). The Holy Spirit: Weekly Summary — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-holy-spirit-weekly-summary-2022-06-11/ 

Saint Barnabas. (n.d.). Franciscan Media. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-barnabas 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=jun11