Homily for Thursday
22d Week of Ordinary Time
Sept. 4, 2025
Luke 5: 1-11
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence, N.R.
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| (by James Tissot) |
“Jesus said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch’” (Luke 5: 4).
Did
Simon, experienced fisherman, ask himself what this dumb carpenter knew about
fishing? If he did—we can hear a touch
of skepticism in his reply (5:5)—he nevertheless obeys, and something astonishing
happens (5:9).
Our
religious obedience, as well as the readiness of “ordinary” Christians to
listen to the sacred Scriptures and the teachings of Christ’s Church, imitates
Simon’s listening to Christ. When we
listen, God does astonishing things. We’re
not often stunned like Simon, but when we reflect on our faithfulness, even if
it was reluctant, we may behold—in retrospect—that God did something more in us
and thru us than we’d have been able to do by ourselves.
After
the Lord does something astonishing, Simon’s reaction is that he’s not worthy
of being around Jesus: “Depart from me,
Lord, for I’m a sinful man” (5:8).
Indeed, he is. And so’s everyone
else whom the Lord chooses and calls to be his fisherman or to do anything on
his behalf. Having exhausted the supply
of innocent human beings when Mary was chosen and consented, God has no one else
among humanity but sinners to call upon.
But
what astonishing things he can do thru those sinners who agree to follow him
and let him work thru them, as the lives of the saints constantly reveal. For it’s all God’s work, not theirs, not
ours.
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