THE CALL TO FOLLOW JESUS

 

Homily for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Bible Texts: Isaiah 6:1-8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11

Today’s readings present us with three biblical figures - Isaiah, Paul, and Peter - each of whom received a call, an invitation to follow God.

The first figure Isaiah was a prophet. He had a powerful vision of God in the temple. The vision shook him to the core, and made him aware of his own sinfulness and limitations. But despite Isaiah’s sinfulness and unworthiness, God did not reject him. Instead, he sent an angel to touch his lips with a burning coal and purified him.

Like Isaiah, many of us feel unworthy or reluctant to serve God. We may think, “I am not holy enough. I am not good enough.” But Isaiah’s story teaches us that when God calls us, he also purifies us and gives us the grace to follow him. Isaiah’s story reminds us that holiness is not a precondition for a call; rather, God’s call purifies and strengthens us. God qualifies the called rather than calling the qualified.

The second figure Paul was once a persecutor of Christians, yet God called him to become one of the greatest apostles. Reflecting on his past, Paul said: “I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am.” Paul acknowledged his past but did not allow it to define his future. His encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus transformed him into one of the greatest missionaries of all time. If God could use Paul, a former persecutor, to spread the Gospel, then he can use any of us, no matter how unworthy we feel.

When Jesus calls us, he does not look at our failures - he looks at our potential; he does not look at who we are but at who we can become. Now, have you ever felt too sinful, too broken, or too unworthy to follow Jesus, Paul reminds you today that God’s grace is greater than your weaknesses. God’s grace turns failures into apostles, sinners into saints, and weak people into witnesses.

In the Gospel reading, we find the call of Peter. Peter was just a fisherman going about his daily routine when Jesus called him. Peter was not in a synagogue or on a retreat when he encountered Jesus - he was simply doing his work as a fisherman. What this tells us is that Jesus calls us in our daily lives, whether we are teachers, business owners, students, or parents. He comes to us where we are and how we are.

Even though Peter had spent the whole night fishing but caught nothing, when Jesus the carpenter, (a novice in the art of fishing) told him to put out into the deep and let down his nets for a catch, Peter obeyed. The result was a miraculous catch of fish - so great that the boats began to sink. Sometimes, following Jesus means trusting him even when it does not make sense. Many times, God’s instructions may not align with our human logic, but obedience to his word brings unexpected blessings.

After experiencing the miracle, at once, Peter and his companions left everything and followed Jesus. He left the profession of catching fish to embrace the profession of catching people. Here we learn that the call to follow Jesus requires leaving something behind. Peter and his companions left their boats, their nets, and their old way of life to follow Jesus. To truly follow Jesus, we need to ask ourselves, what do we need to leave behind? Perhaps, our fears, sinful habits, attachment to material things, and other things that hold us back from hearing and responding to the call of God.

Lastly, God’s call is personal. He calls each of us by name, just as he called Isaiah, Paul, and Peter. Isaiah said, “Here I am, send me.” Paul said, “By the grace of God, I am what I am.” Peter left everything and followed Jesus. Today, Jesus is calling you too to follow him. What will your response be? May we have the courage to say a wholehearted YES to Jesus. Amen!