Week 22 Thursday (Year 1)

Readings: Colossians 1.9-14; Psalm 97/98; Luke 5.1-11

The calling of the first disciples seems a bit more normal, less spooky, in Luke's account, which we hear today, than it does in Matthew's and Mark's accounts where it seems like a kind of magic: he sees them, he calls them, immediately they leave everything and follow him. That's it. Here the call is preceded by them hearing Jesus teach. He asks for the use of their boat so that from it he could address the crowd that had gathered on the shore. The teaching is followed by a sign, a wonder, a miraculous catch of fish, which evokes one of Peter's famous declarations, 'leave me, Lord, for I am a sinful man'.

Not only does it make more sense, but it is closer to how we ourselves decide to follow Jesus, or decide to persevere in following Him. (We need to decide this time and again throughout our lives.) Normally we do not have the experience of actually encountering the magnetic or charismatic personality whose voice and look would sweep us off our feet to the point where we leave everything and follow him. We do have is the teaching of Jesus which continues to exercise its power and to reveal him to us. We hear it at least through our reading of scripture, perhaps of other texts, as well as through the liturgies and preaching of the Church. It is enough to attract us, perhaps even to hold us.

But is there also a sign, a wonder, something happening in our lives or in the world around us, which confirms the words of his teaching and which also reveals him to us? What works as a sign will vary from person to person: the Holy Spirit is infinitely creative in devising signs adapted to the experience and needs of each person. For Peter and Andrew, James and John, the sign is an unexpected and unusual fruitfulness in their ordinary work. Putting together the words of his teaching - which were enough for Peter to trust him when he told them to put down the nets again - and the sign of the great catch, Peter realises that they are in the presence of one in whom God is powerfully at work. (In Luke's gospel he is helped also by having already witnessed the healing of his mother in law and of others.)

So Peter reacts in the normal way a human creature will react coming into the presence of God - he feels unworthy to be there, his sinfulness illuminated by the presence of holiness. 'Do not be afraid', says Jesus, not for the last time, as if to say 'your sinfulness is not an obstacle to the call you are receiving'.

Perhaps a useful exercise for us today is to reflect on three questions - 

1. where am I hearing the teaching of Jesus?
2. what has counted in the past, or is counting in the present, as a sign confirming the teaching of Jesus for me?
3. what do I need to leave behind if I am to follow Jesus more closely from now on?