Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk 

Fifth Sunday of the Year C – February 10, 2019.

Readings: Is. 6:1-2a.3-8; Responsorial Psalm 138:1ac-2a.2bcd-3.4-5.7c-8(R.1b); 

1 Cor. 15:1-11 & Gospel Luke 5:1-11.

Theme: Choosing the Path of Honour

Introduction

Beloved in Christ, on the Fifth Sunday of the year, the Church prepares us to answer the call to discipleship by choosing the path of honour. In a world where people chose things over honour and service, our liturgy invites us to dispose our minds towards turning our back on the world like the first disciples. To fully comprehend the demands of our liturgy, it is important to go through the readings to draw some practical actions.

Background & Summary of the Readings

The first reading (Is. 6:1-2a.3-8) presents us with the call of the prophet Isaiah. It recounts how unworthy the prophet felt but stressed how an angel touched his lips with live coal assuring him of divine enablement. What is more, he was assured that his sins were taken away. To this, he heard a voice: “Whom shall I send? Who will be our messenger?” and he answered in the affirmative: “Here I am, send me.”

In the second reading, (1 Cor. 15:1-11) St. Paul reminds the Corinthian community of the advantage of believing in the gospel because it saves. He further warns that believing in anything else will not lead to anything. He takes them through the narrative of the Christ and how he died and rose noting that he, Paul, is the last of the apostles. He maintained that he preaches what the other apostles preached which the community is called to believe.

The gospel (Luke 5:1-11) narrates the call of the apostles. It tells how Jesus entered Simon’s boat and ordered him and his companions to “Put out into the deep water and pay out their nets for a catch.” Although Simon complained that they did that all night and didn’t catch anything, he obeyed and it resulted in a big catch of fish. At this, Simon fell on his knees saying, “Leave me, Lord, I am a sinful man” because both he and his partners, the sons of Zebedee, James and John were overwhelmed at the great catch. It was then that Jesus said to him, from now onwards, it is men you will catch and we are told, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Pastoral Lessons

1. In the call of Isaiah, Pastors of souls ought to learn the virtue of humility from the prophet who felt unworthy to work for God.

2. The first reading also assures that no body is qualified for the misssion but the Lord of the harvest himself who qualifies the called and grants the required grace.

3. Isaiah's willingness to do the Lord's bidding challenges each and everyone one of us that there is something special we can do for God before our time here is up.

4. The message of St. Paul in the second reading emphasizes the fact that we are privileged to hear the Good News because it saves.

5. As a community of faith, we warned not to pay attention to the wild imagination of our hearts or other fake gosples of our time because anything short of the Gosple of Christ leads to perdition.

6. Since we are called to beleive in the Good News, preachers of the Word must ensure that they preach the pure Gosple which the Church received from the Lord and nothing less.

7. Like Simon Peter and his partners, if we let Jesus into the empty boat of our lives, he is able to fill it with abundant miracles.

8. We are urged to emulate the humility and herioc faith of the Apostles who although professional fishermen, obeyed a total stranger by throwing their nets for a catch. 

10. By falling down on his knees to worship Jesus as a result of the great catch of fish, Simon teaches us to always acknowlege the supremacy of God at work in our lives.

11. Simon Peter and the sons of Zebedee chose the honourable and noble vocation of discipleship over profession (fishing), wealth (the great catch of fish and nets) and family (Zebedee) thus teaching us to prioritize our needs.

Homiletic Quotes to Remember

1. The Church prepares us to answer the call of discipleship by choosing the path of honour.

2.Our liturgy invites us to dispose our minds towards turning our back on the world like the first disciples.

3. St. Paul reminds the Corinthian community of the advantage of believing in the gospel because it saves.

4. From now onwards, it is men you will catch.

5. They left everything and followed Jesus.

Conclusion

In conclusion, in a world in which peopple  are increasingly thirsty for material posessions, the apostles teach us the virtue of detachment. One commentator once said, while the apostles left everything and followed Jesus, we are leaving Jesus and following every other thing. Truth is, it is sadly so. It is our prayer that as individuals and a people, we would not let proffesion, wealth or family come between us and the love of God made manifest in Christ Jesus. May the Holy Spirit always help us to choose the path of honour above all things, like the disciples. Amen.

N:B - As Nigeria decides come Saturday February 16, 2019, may God help us to choose the right people for the job. May no life be lost even as the Lord grants us peaceful polls!