Gospel

Luke 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God,

he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.

He saw two boats there alongside the lake;

the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.

Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,

he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.

Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,

"Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."

Simon said in reply,

"Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,

but at your command I will lower the nets."

When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish

and their nets were tearing.

They signaled to their partners in the other boat

to come to help them.

They came and filled both boats

so that the boats were in danger of sinking.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,

"Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."

For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him

and all those with him,

and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,

who were partners of Simon.

Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid;

from now on you will be catching men."

When they brought their boats to the shore,

they left everything and followed him.

Reflection

When we experience gifts that flow seemingly natural through us, it's really difficult to understand which part of our effectiveness in the world is due to our own energy and our own understanding, our own discipline. Or is it purely a gift from God? Well, the key, it's both. But human beings have a hard time keeping themselves in balance when God is using them to accomplish great deeds.

We need to be careful of not falling into the trap of thinking those deeds come from us, and not just through us.

Closing Prayer

Father, over and over again we see people who have authority and responsibility and a position of power, getting caught up in it and ending up being not the instrument that God can use any longer. Keep us grounded in the humility that God is the source of all that we can accomplish when it comes to building his kingdom. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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