Articles

Thursday September 3

Thursday of 22nd Week of Ordinary Time

FISHERS OF PEOPLE

Introduction

Paul warns again his people against relying on human wisdom rather than on the “foolishness” of God and against giving in to division.
Simon Peter and his companions were amazed that an outsider could tell them where to catch plenty of fish when they, fishermen by profession, had been unsuccessful. This man with a striking message was indeed extraordinary. They were caught in his spell and followed him. Later, they would put out into deep water, that is, they would risk and dedicate their life for Jesus and “catch people” to put them in the spell of Jesus’ message and life.

Opening Prayer

Holy God of our happiness,
you entrust your good news of life
to weak and fallible people.
Fill us with the strength of your Holy Spirit,
that we may be ready to speak your message
with the language of our life.
Let Jesus your Son work with us and in us,
that each of us may have the courage to say:
Here I am, Lord, send me as your messenger
to share your glad tidings of happiness
with all who are willing to listen.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Reading 1 1 COR 3:18-23

Brothers and sisters:
Let no one deceive himself.
If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age,
let him become a fool, so as to become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God,
for it is written:
God catches the wise in their own ruses,
and again:
The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you,
Paul or Apollos or Cephas,
or the world or life or death,
or the present or the future:
all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.

Responsorial Psalm 24:1BC-2, 3-4AB, 5-6

R. (1) To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
The LORD's are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.

Alleluia MT 4:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come after me, says the Lord,
and I will make you fishers of men.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
"Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."
Simon said in reply,
"Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets."
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them.
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
"Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men."
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.

Commentary

Today’s reading from Corinthians contains one of the strongest Christocentric statements of the New Testament. Paul begins by diminishing in value the wisdom of this world, quoting texts that indicate that such wisdom leads to vanity. It is in being foolish that the Christian comes to the true wisdom. That wisdom convinces one not to make boasts or elicit plaudits about any human being. For you do not belong to them—whether it be Paul, Apollos, or Kephas. As ministers of the gospel, they belong to you. The same is true of the whole created order, since it is you who stand at the pinnacle of creation and the summit of the order of grace. All things belong to you, you then are Christ’s, and Christ belongs to God.
This is a succinct summary of the theology of the body of Christ. We all stand as members of that one body of which Christ is the head. We then can boast of nothing except of Christ. The whole order of redemption is for our good, and it places us in a unique position in the created order. And it is Christ who stands as our mediator with the Father.
How foolish it is for us to be envious of others. How lacking in faith for us to champion others’ heroes. In the goodness of God’s love, we have been transported out of darkness into his wondrous light. And it is all the work of Christ alone, acting at the Father’s behest. Redeemed by the Son and drawn by the Father, we are members of God’s household. Continuing in that relationship, our destiny is assured.

Points to Ponder

The foolishness of faith
We belong to Christ
Christ belongs to God

Intercessions

– Lord, attract people to you by opening their eyes and hearts to the beauty of your message of good news, we pray:
– Lord, attract people to you by your inspiring, loving personality, we pray:
– Lord, let your Church with all its communities attract people to you by serving them, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

God our Father,
in these signs of bread and wine
we celebrate the central event
that sums up our faith
and gives meaning to what we are and do:
the death and resurrection of your Son.
Purify our lips and hearts with his body and blood
and send us to proclaim with our lives
that Jesus is our living Lord
and that you are our Father,
now and for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
in your love you have called each of us
to a task in life and a place in your plan
which no one can fulfill for us;
you have chosen your Church, that is us,
to be the irreplaceable sign and witness
of the death and resurrection of your Son.
Make each and all of us
capable of our mission
and send us out into the deep
by the strength of the body and blood
of our unique Savior,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

The Lord entrusts to you his word and his body. Go now, speak his word and be his body to the world. May the Lord bless you, that you may be a blessing to all, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.