PER TOTAM NOCTEM LABORANTES - 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C

Homily for the 5^th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C

Readings: Lk 5:1-11 (Gospel);  Is 6:1-2a-3-8 (First Reading) and 1 Co 15:1-11 (Second Reading)

From the Series: Reflections and Teachings in the Desert

PER TOTAM NOCTEM LABORANTES

The Gospel for this 5^th Sunday in Ordinary Time is Lk 5:1-11, under the title Call of the first four disciples^a. Footnote  ^a says “In the narrative, Lk has combined: 1. A topographical note and an incident about Christ’s preaching, vv. 1-3; this section resembles Mk. 4:1-2 and 1:16,19; 2. The episode of the miraculous catch, vv. 4-10a, which is like that of Jn. Jn. 21:1-6; 3. the call of Simon, vv. 10b-11, which is related to Mk. 1:17,20. Luke’s purpose in placing a period of teaching and miracle before the call of the first disciples was to make their unhesitating response less surprising.”

Verses 1 and 2 say: Now he was standing one day by the Sea of Gennesaret, with the crowd pressing round him listening to the word of God,

when he caught sight of two boats close to the bank. The fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.

Parallel texts for verse 1 are:

1.       Mt 4:18 - As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew, they were making a cast in the lake  with their net, for they were fishermen.

2.       Mk 4:1- Again he began to teach by the lakeside, but such a huge crowd gathered round him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there. The people were along the shore, at the water’s edge.

3.       Mk 1:16,19- As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake-for they were fishermen (v. 16). Going a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in a boat mending their nets (v. 19).

Verse 3 says: He got into one of the boats-it was Simon’s^b -  and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. Footnote ^b says “In Lk, Simon does not receive the name Peter until 6:14.”

Parallel text is Mk 4:1-2 that says: Again he began to teach by the lakeside, but such a huge crowd gathered round him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there. The people were along the shore, at the water’s edge (v. 1). He taught them many things in parables, and in the course of his teaching he said to them(v. 2)…

Verse 4 says: When he had finished speaking he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch’.

Parallel text is Jn 21:1-6 that says: Later on, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this (v. 1):Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two more of his disciples were together (v. 2). Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” They said to him, ‘We’ll come with you.’ They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night (v. 3). It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus (v. 4).Jesus called out, “Have you caught anything, friends?” And when they answered, “No” (v. 5), he said, “Throw the net out to the starboard and you will find something.” So they dropped the net, and there were so many fish^b that they could not haul it in (v.6).

Verse 5 and 6 say: ‘Master’, Simon replied ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’ And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear,

Parallel texts are:

1.       Mt 8:10 - When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith^b like this. Footnote ^b  says “The faith that Jesus asks for from the outset of public life (Mk. 1:15) and throughout his subsequent career, is that act of trust and self-abandonment by which people no longer rely on their own strength and policies but commit themselves to the power and guiding word of him in whom they believe (Lk. 1:20,45; Mt. 21:25p,32). Christ asks for this faith especially when he works his miracles(8:13; 9:2p; 22p, 28-29; 15:28; Mk 5:36p;10:52p; Lk 17:19) which are not so much acts of mercy as signs attesting his mission and witnessing to the kingdom (8:3+; cf. Jn 2:11+), hence he cannot work miracles unless he finds the faith without which the miracle lose their true significance (13:58p; 12;38-39; 16:1-4). Since the faith demands the sacrifice of the whole man, mind and heart, it is not an easy act of humility to perform; many decline it, particularly in Israel (8:10p; 15:28; 27:42p; Lk 18;8), or are half-hearted (Mk 9;24; Lk 8;13). Even the disciples are slow to believe (8:26p; 14;31; 18;8; 17:20p) and are still reluctant after the resurrection (28;17; Mk 16:11-14; Lk 24;11,25,41). The most generous faith of all, of the ‘Rock’ (16:16-18), the disciples leader, was destined to the shaken by the outrage of the Passion (26:69-75p) though it was to triumph in the end (Lk 22:32). When faith is strong it works wonders (17:20p; 21:21p; Mk 16:17) and its appeal is never refused (21:22p; Mk 9:23) especially when it asks for forgiveness of sin (9:2p; Lk 7:50) and for that salvation of which it is the necessary condition (Lk 8;12; Mk 16:16, cf. Ac 3:16+).

2.       Mt 8:3 - Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’  And his leprosy was cured at once.^a Footnote ^a  says “By his miracle Jesus his power over nature (8:23-27; 14:22-33p),  especially over sickness (8:1-4,5-13, 14-15; 9:1-8, 20-22, 27-31; 14:14,36; 15:30; 20:29-34 and p; Mk. 7:32-37; 8:22-26; Lk. 14:1-6; 17:11-19; Jn. 5:1-16; 9:1-41), over death ( Mt 9:23-26p ;Lk 7:11:19; Jn 11: 1-44), over devils (Mt 8:29+). Christ miracles are not elaborate: in this they differ from the fantastic prodigies reported of the Hellenistic world of from those attributed to the Jewish rabbis, but they are most notably different by reason of the spiritual and symbolic significance that Jesus attaches to them. They declare the judgments of the messianic age (21:18-22p) as also privileges  it brings (11:5+;14:13-21;15:32 -39p; Lk 5:4-11; Jn 2:1-11 ; 21:4-14); they are the first signs of the triumph of the spirits over Satan’s empire (8:29+) and over all the powers  of evil whether  sin passion (20:34; Mk 1:41; Lk 7:13) butt  they are directed principally to the Strengthening of faith (8:10+; Jn 2;11+). This it is only with great deliberation that Jesus works any miracles at all, demanding secrecy for any he does agree to work (Mk 1:34+), and leaving it for force decision (12:39-40). When he sent his apostles to preach the kingdom he gave his own healing power (10:1,8p) and for this reason Matthew recounts before the missionary Discourse (ch. 10) a series of ten miracles (ch. 8-9 as sign accrediting the missionary (Mk 16:17f; Ac 2:22;cf. 1-8+).” 

Verses 7 and 8 says: so they signaled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them; when these came, they filled two boats to sinking point. When Simon saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man’.

Parallel texts for verse 8 are:

1.       Lk 1:12 -The sight disturbed Zechariah and he was overcome with fear.

2.       Ex 33:20 - ‘You cannot see my face’ he said ‘for man cannot see me and live.’ⁱ Footnote ⁱ  says “God’s sanctity is so removed from man’s unworthiness, see Lv 17:1+, that man must perish if he looks on God, cf. Ex 19:21; Lv 16:2; Nb 4:20, or even hears his voice, Ex. 20:19; Dt. 5:24-26 and 18:16. For this reason Moses, Ex. 3:6, Elijah, 1 K 19:13, and even the seraphim, Is 6:2, cover their faces in his presence. The man who remain alive after seeing God is overwhelmed with astonishment and gratitude, Gn 32:31; Dt 5:24, and with awe, Jg 6:22-23; 13:22, Is. 6:5. It is a favor God rarely concedes, Ex 24:11; he grants ‘it to Moses his ‘friend’, Ex 33:11; Nb 12:7-8; Dt 34:10, and to Elijah, 1 K 19:11f, the two who looked on the New Testament theophany, the transfiguration of Christ, Mt. 17:3p. Hence, in Christian tradition Moses and Elijah (together with Apostle Paul, 2 Co 12:1f) are the three pre-eminent mystics. In the New Testament the ‘glory’ of God, cf. 33:18 and 24:16+, is manifested in Jesus, Jn 1:14+; 11:40, who alone has gazed on the Father, Jn 1:18, 6:46; 1 Jn 4:12. Man cannot look on God’s face except in heaven, Mt 5:8; 1 Jn 3:2, 1 Co 13:12.

3.       Mt 8:8 - The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured.’

Verse 9 and 10 say: For he and all his companions were completely overcome by the catch they had made; so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners. But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid, from now on it is men you will catch’.

Parallel texts for verse 10 says:

1.       Mk 1:17,19 - Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men (v. 17) Going a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once (v. 19).

2.       Jn 21:15-17, 19 - After the meal Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs (v.15).” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep (v.  16).’Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said,  “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep (v.17)…In these words he indicated what kind of death^d by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me’(v.  19). Footnote  ^d says “Martyrdom.”

Verse 11 says: Then, bringing their boats back to land, they left everything and followed him.

Parallel text is Jr 16:16 that says: I will send many fishermen –it is Yahweh who speaks- and these fish  them up; next, I will send many huntsmen, and these will hunt them out of every mountain, every hill, out of the holes in the rock.

The First Reading is from  Is 6:1-2a-3-8, under the title The call of Isaiah^a . Footnote ^a says “The more natural place  for the vision would  have been at the beginning of the book, but it aptly introduces the book of Immanuel’ which assembles the oracles relating to the Syro-Ephraimite war when the threats of vv. 11-13 came true.”

Verse 1 says: In the year of King Uzziah’s death,^b I saw the Lord Yahweh^c seated on a high throne; his train filled the sanctuary^d. Footnote ^b  says “Usually dated 740 BC.”; Footnote ^c  says “‘Yahweh’ restored in accordance with several Hebr. MSS.; and Footnote ^d  says “The Hekal, the chamber leading into the Debir or ‘Holy of Holies’ cf. 1 K 6:1-38.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       1 K 22:19 - Micaiah went on: “Listen rather to the word of Yahweh.  I have seen Yahweh seated on his throne; all array of heaven^g stood in his presence, on his right and on his left. Footnote ^g  says “The angels.”

2.       Jb 13:11 -Does his majesty not affright you, dread of him not fall on you?

3.       Rv 4:2,8 - With that the spirit possessed me and I saw a throne standing in heaven, and the One who was sitting on the throne  (v. 2)…Each of the four animals had six wings and had eyes all the way round as well as inside; and day and night they  never stopped singing: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty; he was, he  is and he is to come (v. 8)’.ⁱ Footnote  ⁱ  says “The liturgical Trisagion or Sanctus echoes this doxology. It is said that the Church thus shares in the worship of the heavenly court, butit is also possible that John’s vision of heaven reproduces the worship of the Church on earth.”

Verse 2a says:  above him stood seraph,^e each one with six wings: two to cover its face,^f two to cover its feet^g and two for flying. Footnote ^e  says “Heavenly beings which Isaiah is the first to associate with Yahweh. Their name means ‘burning ones’ (cf. the ‘burning’ serpents of Nb 21:6+; Dt 8:15, and the flying dragons of Is. 14:29; 30:6). They are perhaps the same as the cherubs on the ark of the covenant, Ex 25:18+; Footnote ^f  says “For fear of seeing Yahweh, cf. Ex 33:20+; and Footnote ^g  says “Euphemism for sexual organs.”

Verse 3 says: And they cried out one to another in this way, “Holy, holy, holy^h is Yahweh Sabaoth. His glory fills the whole earth.’ Footnote ^h  says “The holiness of God, cf. Lv 17:1+, is a central  theme of Isaiah’s preaching; he frequently calls Yahweh ‘the Holy One of Israel’, 1:4, 5:19,24; 10:17,20; 41:14, 16:20, etc. The divine sanctity requires man himself to be sanctified, i.e. separated from everything profane, Lv 17:1+, purified from sin, Is 6:5-7, sharing in the ‘justice’ of God, cf. 1:26+; 5:16+”.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ps 22:3 - Yet, Holy One, you who make your home in the praises of Israel^c. Footnote  ^c says “Or ‘You, who dwell in the sanctuary, the praise of Israel;; cf. Greek.”

2.       Rv 4:8 - Each of the four animals had six wings and had eyes all the way round as well as inside;  and day and night they  never stopped singing: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty; he was, he  is and he is to come.

3.       Nb 14:21 - But-as I live, and as the glory of Yahweh  fills all the earth -

Verse 4 says: The foundations of  the threshold shook with the voice of the one who cried out, and the Temple was filled with smoke.ⁱ Footnote ⁱ  says “The equivalent of the cloud on Sinai.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ex 19:16 - Now as daybreak on the third day there were peals of thunder on the mountain and lightning flashes, a dense cloud, and a loud trumpet blast, and inside the camp all the people trembled.

2.       Ex 40:34-35 - Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle (v. 34). Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because of the cloud that rested on it and because of the glory of Yahweh that filled the tabernacle (v. 35)

3.       1 K 8:10-12 - Now when the priests out of the sanctuary, the cloud filled the Temple of Yahweh(v. 10), and because of the cloud the priests could no longer perform their duties: the glory of Yahweh filled Yahweh’s Temple (v.11).  Then Solomon said, “Yahweh has chosen to dwell in the thick cloud (v. 12).

4.       Jn 12:41 - Isaiah said this when he saw his glory,ⁿ and his words referred to Jesus. Footnote  ⁿ  says ‘when he saw’; var. ‘because he saw’. Alluding to Isaiah’s vision in the Temple, Is 6:12-4. Jn interprets it as a prophetic vision of Christ’s glory, cf. 8:56+.

5.       Rv 15:8 - The smoke from the glory and the power of God filled the temple so that no one could go into it^d until the seven plagues of the seven angels were accomplished. Footnote ^d  says “According to 2 M 2:4-8 the appearance of the sacred tent and the manifestation of God’s glory as in the time of Moses, Ex 40:34-35; and of Solomon, 1 K 8:10, were to herald the coming of the messianic age and the renaissance of the chosen people. The ‘glory’ (cf. Ex 24:16+) is the sign of God’s presence (cf.  the silence of 8:1, and the appearance of the ark of the covenant in 11:19).”

Verse 5 says: I said: “What a wretched I am in! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have looked at the King, Yahweh Sabaoth.’

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ex 33:20+ - You cannot see my face’ he said ‘for man cannot see me and live.’ⁱ Footnote ⁱ  says “God’s sanctity is so removed from man’s unworthiness, see Lv 17:1+, that man must perish if he looks on God, cf. Ex 19:21; Lv16:2; Nb 4:20, or even hears his voice, Ex. 20:19; Dt. 5:24-26 and 18:16. For this reason Moses, Ex. 3:6, Elijah, 1 K 19:13, and even the seraphim, Is 6:2, cover their faces in his presence. The man who remain alive after seeing God is overwhelmed with astonishment and gratitude, Gn 32:31; Dt 5:24, and with awe, Jg 6:22-23; 13:22, Is. 6:5. It is a favor God rarely concedes, Ex 24:11; he grants ‘it to Moses his ‘friend’, Ex 33:11; Nb 12:7-8; Dt 34:10, and to Elijah, 1 K 19:11f, the two who looked on the New Testament theophany, the transfiguration of Christ, Mt. 17:3p. Hence, in Christian tradition Moses and Elijah (together with Apostle Paul, 2 Co 12:1f) are the three pre-eminent mystics. In the New Testament the ‘glory’ of God, cf. 33:18 and 24:16+, is manifested in Jesus, Jn 1:14+; 11:40, who alone has gazed on the Father, Jn 1:18, 6:46; 1 Jn 4:12. Man cannot look on God’s face except in heaven, Mt 5:8; 1 Jn 3:2, 1 Co 13:12.”

2.       Lv 16:16-17 - This is how he is to perform the rite of atonement over the sanctuary for the uncleanness of the sons of Israel, for their transgressions and for all their sins. ‘This also is how he must deal with the Tent of Meeting which remains with them, surrounded by their uncleanness (v.16).Let no one stay in the Tent of Meeting, from the moment he enters to make atonement in the sanctuary until the time he come out. ‘When he has made atonement for himself, for his family, and for the whole community of Israel (v. 17).

Verse 6 says: Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding in his hands a live coal which he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs .

Parallel texts are:

1.       Jr 1:9 - Then Yahweh put out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me: There, I putting my words in your mouth!

2.       Dn 10:6 - The someone looking like a son of man come and touched my lips. I opened my mouth to speak, and I said to the person standing in front of me, ‘My lord, anguish overcomes me at this vision, and what strength I had deserts me.’

Verse 7 and 8 say:  With this he touched my mouth and said: “See now,  this has touched your lips, your sin is taken away, your iniquity purged.^’j Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will be our messenger?” Footnote ^j  says “The live coal is holy because Yahweh has sanctified the altar from which it is taken. Fire is normally associated with Yahweh in the theophanies of Sinai, Ex 19:18; Dt 4:11-12,15,33,36. This is a destroying fire, Ex 24:17, Nb 11:1-3, but here it is purifying, cf Is 1:25; Mt 3:11+.”

Parallel text is Zc 3:6 that says: The angel of Yahweh the proclaimed to Joshua…

The Second Reading is from  1 Co 15:1-11:

Verses 1 and 2 says: Brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; Because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you - believing anything else will not lead you to anything.

Parallel texts for verse 1 are:

1.       1 Th 2:13 - Another reason why we constantly  thank God for you is that as soon as you heard the message you accepted it for what it really is, God’s messaged and not some human thinking; and it is still^e a living power among you who believe it.

2.       1 Th 4:14 - We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him.

Verse 3 says: Well then, in the first place, I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures;

Parallel texts are:

1.       1 Co 11:2+,23 - You have done well in remembering me so constantly and in maintaining the traditions^a just as I passed them on to you (v. 2). For this is what I received from the Lord, and in turn passed on to you: that on the same night that he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread (v. 23). Footnote  ^a says “i.e. the teachings of Christ and the apostles”.

2.       Lk 1:2 - exactly as these were handed down to us by those who from the outside were eyewitness and ministers of the word.

3.       Ac 2:23 - This man, who was put into your power by the deliberate intention^o and  foreknowledge of God, you took and had crucified by men outside the Law.^p You killed him, but God raised him to life, freeing him from the pangs of Hades…^q Footnote  ^o says “The OT prophecies demonstrate this divine plan: Ac 3:18; 4:28; 13:29; cf. 8:32-35; 9:22; 10:43; 17:2-3; 18:5,28; 26:22-23,27; 28:23; Lk 18:31+; 22:22; 24:25-27,44”; Footnote ^p  says “In this case, the Romans. The primitive kerygma accused the Jews is the same way, and confronted them with that act of God whish raised up Jesus, 2:32,36; 3:13-17; 4:10; 5:30-31; 7:52; 10:39-40; 13:27-30; 17:31; Mt. 16:18+.”; and Footnote ^q  says ‘of Hades’ Western Text; ‘of death’ Text. Rec. Cf vv. 27 and 31. ‘Hades’ in LXX is sheol, Nb 16:33+; Mt 16:18+.

Verse 4 says: that he was buried; that he was raised to life on the third day in accordance with the scriptures;

Parallel text is Mt 28:10 that says: Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee, they will see me there.^e Footnote ^e  says  “though they agree in recording the initial apparition of the angel (or angels) to the women (Mt 28:5-7;Mk 16:5-7;Lk 24:5-7 ;Jn20;12-13), the four gospels show divergences when it comes to the appearances of Christ. Setting Mark aside (his abrupt conclusion present a special problem, cf. Mk 16:8+, and his ‘longer ending’ recapitulates the data of the other gospels), all the other gospels make a clear distinction, both literary and doctrinal, between: 1. Appearances to individuals that help to prove the fact of the resurrection; to Mary Magdalene, either alone (Jn 20:14-17; cf. Mk. 16:9), or accompanied (Mt. 28:9-10); to the disciples on the road to Emmaus (lk 14:13-32; cf. Mk 16:12), to Simon (Lk 24:34), to Thomas (Jn 20-26-29). 2. A collective appearance that is coupled with an apostolic mission (Mt 28:16-20; Lk 24:36-49; Jn 20:19-23; cf. Mk 16:14-18). As well as this distinction there are two traditions as to where the appearances took place: 1. All in Galilee (Mk 16:7; Mt 28:20,16-20); 2. All in Judea (Lk and Jn 20). By way of appendix, Jn 21 adds ab appearance in Galilee which trough in bears the appearance to individuals (it is for Peter and John predominantly) is nevertheless coupled with an apostolic mission (given to Peter). The primitive apostolic preaching that Paul reproduces in 1 Co 15:3-7 list 5 appearances (apart  from the appearance to Paul himself) which are not easily harmonised with the gospel accounts; in particular he mentions an appearance to James of which the Gospel to the Hebrews also speaks, All  his gives the impression that different groups, which cannot now be easily identified, have given rise to different strands of traditions  But these very divergencies of traditions are far better witness than any artificial or contrived uniformity to the antiquity of the evidence  and the historical quality of all these manifestations of the risen Christ.

Verses 5, 6, 7 and 8 says:  that he appeared to Cephas, and secondly to the Twelve. Next he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at the same time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. And last of all, he appeared to me too; it was as though I am born when no one expected it.^b Footnote ^b says “An allusion to the abnormal, sudden and surgical nature of Paul’s birth into the Apostolic family. He makes no distinction between the sort of apparition that took place on the Damascus road and the sort of apparitions of Jesus that took place between the resurrection and the ascension.”

Parallel text for verse 5 is Lk 24:34 that says: Who said to them, “Yes it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon!

Parallel text for verse 8 are:

1.       Ac 12:17 - With a gesture of his hand he stopped them talking, and described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison He added, “Tell James^f and the brothers.” Then he left and went to another place. Footnote ^f  says ‘James’ without qualification means the ‘brother of the Lord’. At the time of Paul’s first visit to Jerusalem, Ga. 1:19 i.e. in 38-39, cf Ac 1:9+) and afterwards, James was leader of the ‘Hebrew’ section of the Jerusalem Christians. After Peter’s departure he was in charge of the mother church. See Ac 15:13; 21:18; 1 Co 15:7. The Letter to James appears under his name.”

2.       Ac 9:1 - Meanwhile Saul was still breathing threats to slaughter the Lord’s disciples. He had gone to the high priest..

3.       Rm 1:1+ - From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus who has been called to be an apostle,^b and especially chosen to preach the Good News that God… Footnote  ^b says  “A Jewish title that means ‘envoy’, cf. Jn. 13:16; 2 Co. 8:23; Ph. 2:25, sometimes used in the NT for the Twelve chosen by Christ, Mt. 10:2; Ac. 1:26; 2:37, etc.: 1 Co. 15:7; Rv. 21:14; to be his witnesses, Ac. 1:8+, sometimes in the wider sense for those sent to preach the gospel, Rm. 16:7; 1 Co. 12:28; Ep. 2:20; 3:5; 4:11. Though Paul was not a member of the Twelve, the fact that he had been appointed as missionary to the  gentiles by God, Ac. 26:17; Rm. 11:13; 1 Co. 9:2; Ga. 2:8; 1 Tim. 2:7, constitutes him as apostle of Christ, Rm. 1:1; 1 Co. 1:1, etc., equal to the Twelve, Ac. 10:41, because like them he had seen the risen Christ, 1 Co. 9:1, and been sent by him, Rm. 1:5; Ga. 1:16, to be his witness, Ac. 26:16. In spite of being ‘the least of the apostles’, 1 Co. 15:9, he is their equal, 1 Co. 9:5; Ga 2:6-9, because he did not learn the Good News he preaches from them, Ga. 1:1,17,19.”

Verse 9 says: I am the least of the apostles; in fact, since I persecuted the church of God, I hardly deserve the name apostle,

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ep 3:8 - I, who am less that the least of saints, have been entrusted with this special grace was given, not only of proclaiming to the pagans the infinite treasure of Christ,

2.       1 Tm 1:15-16 - Here is a saying that you can rely onⁱ and nobody should doubt: That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I myself am the greatest of them (v. 15); and if mercy has been shown to me, it is because Jesus Christ meant to make me the greatest evidence of his inexhaustible patience for all the other people who would later have to trust in him to come to eternal life (v. 16).   Footnote ⁱ says “Lit. ‘faithful is the word (or saying): this is one of the characteristic phrases of the Pastoral Letters, cf. 3:1;  4:9; 2 Tm 2:11; Tt 3:8.

3.       Ac 8:3 -Saul then worked for the total destruction of the Church; he went from house to house arresting both men and women and sending them to prison.

4.       Ga 1:13-14 - You must have heard of my career as a practicing Jew, how merciless I was in persecuting the church of God, how much damage I did to it (v. 13), how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors (v. 14).

Verses 10 and 11 say: But  God’s grace that is what I am, and the grace that he gave me has not been fruitless. On the contrary, I, or rather the grace of God that is with me, have worked harder than any of the others. But what matters is that I preach what they preach and this is what you all believed.

Parallel texts for verse 11 are:

1.       1 Co 11:23 - The servants of Christ? I must be mad to say this, but so am I, and more than they: more because I have worked harder, I have been sent to prison more often, and whipped so many times more, often almost to death.

2.       1 Tm 1:14 - And the grace of our Lord filled me with the faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus.

The title of this homily for the 5^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C) recalls the remonstration of Simon Peter against the order of Jesus Christ to “put out into deep water and pay out the nets for a catch” (v. 4).  Simon Peter said “Master, we worked hard all night through and caught nothing…(v. 5). Why did Simon Peter and his fishermen companions not catch any fish even they “worked all night through” (per totam noctem laborantes).

The answer to this question could be gleaned from another gospel incident found in Jh 21:6, the parallel of Lk 5:4. In John 21:6, Jesus Christ orders Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael and two other fishermen in the boat by the Sea of Tiberias to “throw the net out to the starboard”, which means to put out the net from the right side of the boat. This means that because the fishermen on their own had been putting out their nets on the left side of the boat all throughout the night long and they caught nothing. But on the order of Jesus Christ to change their strategy of putting the nets out, that is, from the left side to the right side, that they were able to catch many fish.

Applying this principle to their work as future fishers of men, that is, ministers of the gospel, of God;s kingdom, working on the side of strength will bring many catch of men for God’s kingdom, while working on the side of weakness will bring no catch of men for God’s kingdom. This means that, as ministers of the gospel, if we work with our strength then we will be able to convince many people to accept our message. Meanwhile, if we go on working with our weakness, then we will not be able to convince any person to accept our message.

The first reading, Is 6:1-2a, 3-8, concerning the call of Isaiah who had been cleansed of his impurities of the mouth before he was sent out by Yahweh to be his envoy or messenger, very clearly illustrates the point that we have made above.

Isaiah, before he became a prophet of Yahweh, had many impurities of the mouth. The angel of Yahweh cleansed his mouth of these impurities before he could be sent as an envoy or messenger.

Likewise, a minister of the gospel has to have any or all his impurities, which are his weaknesses, cleansed or removed first before he could be sent to preach the gospel.

How do we do this? As Isaiah had tong of fire touched his mouth to cleanse him of his impurities, likewise the minister of the gospel should experience  verbal persecution and trial to be cleansed of his personality and conduct before being pronounced worthy to be a preacher or minister of the word of God.

The Second Reading, 1 Co 15:1-11, narrates Apostle Paul’s ordeal before he became an apostle of Jesus Christ, that he was a persecutor of the Church of God (v. 9) but by God’s grace had made him a fruitful apostle (v. 10).