Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C February 10, 2019

First Reading
Isaiah 6:1-2a,3-8
Isaiah describes his vision and call from the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 138:1-5,7-8
A song of thanks to God who saves us

Second Reading
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (shorter form, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8,11)
Paul reminds the Corinthians of the gospel that he announced to them.

Gospel Reading
Luke 5:1-11
The fishermen (Simon, James, and John) leave their fishing boats and
follow Jesus.

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.


Background on the Gospel Reading

Last Sunday, we heard how Jesus was rejected in his hometown of Nazareth.
In the verses that follow, Jesus travels to the town of Capernaum and
begins his ministry of teaching and healing. While in Capernaum, Jesus
cures a man possessed with a demon and heals Simon's mother-in-law. After
spending some time there, Jesus prepares to preach in other places. The
fact that Jesus had previously been in Simon's home and healed his
mother-in-law suggests that this encounter is not the first between Jesus
and Simon Peter. We can read today's Gospel, therefore, as a description
of the developing relationship between Jesus and Simon Peter.

In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches from Simon's boat. Jesus turns to Simon
and instructs him about where to lower the fishing nets. Simon and others
have been fishing throughout the night and have not caught anything. Simon
protests, claiming that such an effort would be futile. Simon ultimately
obeys Jesus and lowers his nets into the deeper water as directed. Notice
here that Peter calls Jesus by the title "master." He already recognizes
Jesus as a person of authority. They catch so many fish that the nets
begin to tear; Jesus' presence has created abundance out of scarcity, just
as it did at the wedding feast at Cana, which we heard at Mass just a few
weeks ago.

Simon Peter becomes a follower of Jesus immediately. He calls Jesus
"Lord"—the title given to Jesus after his Resurrection—and protests his
worthiness to be in Jesus' presence. Today's Gospel, therefore, marks a
turning point in the relationship between Jesus and Peter.

Two of Simon's partners are also named as witnesses to the event described
in today's Gospel: Zebedee's sons, James and John. Yet Jesus' words are
addressed only to Simon. Jesus gives Simon a new job, telling him that he
will become a different kind of fisherman. No longer will he catch fish;
instead he will catch people. In these words, we hear the beginning of the
leadership role that Peter will have within the community of disciples.
Peter was chosen for this role. His task will be to bring others to Jesus.
Already he is doing so; the Gospel tells us that all the fishermen with
Peter also left their nets and followed Jesus.

We continue to speak of Peter's leadership and influence in the Church
today when we call the pope the "successor of Peter." We participate in
the mission of the Church when we bring people to Christ through the
example and positive influence of our lives.


Family Connection

In the people whom Jesus chose to be his closest friends—his disciples—we
see many of the characteristic foibles of ordinary human beings. We also
see the ways that God uses the gifts he gave us to transform us into new
people, the agents through whom God will lead others to Jesus and to his
kingdom. Let's consider the person Jesus chose to be a leader among the
disciples and whom he sent to "catch people." Based on the evidence found
in Scripture, we can imagine what Peter must have been like:

Peter seems unafraid to speak his mind, yet he is also able to take
direction. In today's Gospel, Simon Peter lowers his nets as Jesus
commands, but not before reminding Jesus that he and his partners have
been fishing all night and haven't caught anything.
Peter is a leader, a spokesperson for others. Today's Gospel suggests that
Simon Peter was a leader in his fishing business. When Simon Peter chooses
to follow Jesus, others become Jesus' disciple as well.
Peter's personality and charisma seem to make him the center of attention;
yet Peter learned to be transparent, to let others see Jesus through him.
Peter possesses a dynamic and open relationship with Jesus. Peter often
approaches Jesus and speaks what is in his heart.

Gather as a family and spend some time imagining the person of Simon
Peter. Encourage family members to tell details about Simon Peter that
they recall from Scripture. Consider these questions: Is Peter someone you
would like to be friends with? Why or why not? Do you consider Peter a
good leader? Why or why not? Read aloud today's Gospel, Luke 5:1-11. Jesus
chose Simon Peter to be the leader of the disciples. Peter continued to be
a leader in the early Christian community; we continue to speak of Peter's
leadership when we call the pope the successor of Peter. Discuss the role
of the papacy and of other leaders in the Church. In what ways do we
participate in the mission of the Church by leading people to Christ
("catching people")? Pray for those who lead the Church. Pray together the
Prayer to St. Joseph, the Protector of the Church.


Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings