Epiphany 5
Collect: Heavenly Father, we praise your name and ask for a full measure of
your prophetic spirit as we accept your calling to go forth into the world.
Though we are quick to make excuses, make us quicker to take the mantle
of evangelism, to reach out to people in our neighbourhood. With faith and
your strength, all things are possible. It can begin here in this place. Amen
From the desk of the minister: The Calling of God
In today’s gospel, Jesus calls Simon Peter and makes it clear in the process
what the fisherman is called to do – fish for people. He is a fisherman and he
will continue to fish. Jesus knew that Simon Peter needed fish; it was a part of
who he was. The difference was that Jesus gave him a new target. Simon Peter
would be getting people and bringing them to the Master Fisherman. It is the
calling of all ordinary disciples. We, too, are called to fish for people.
Last week, we heard the calling of Jeremiah. He was called from inside the
womb to be a prophet to the nations. This week we have another call, the call
of Isaiah. He was in the temple and he had a vision of God. This is a unique
call because Isaiah knew straightaway that he is a man of unclean lips and he
lives among a people of unclean lips and he has seen the King, the Lord
Almighty. Once the coal touched his mouth, his sin was taken away.
That is an amazing witness of someone who has experienced the forgiveness
of God. The next step, he heard God’s call – “Whom shall I send? who will
be our messenger?” Isaiah answered, “I will go! Send me!” We have learned
a lot from this calling. Jeremiah was commanded to go out without fear,
because God has put the words in his mouth. Do not fear to uproot and tear
down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.
Once we have the words of God in our mouth, we can be effective instruments
to tell his Good News. Peter dropped the fishing net because he has seen the
power of Jesus in the magical catch. He followed immediately. How many
times we have seen the power of God in our lives? God’s call is active all
the time.