Wings! February 7- 13, 2010.pmd - Parokya ni San Vicente Ferrer ...

Today’s Gospel tells of how Jesus callsHis disciples. Here our Lord preachesGod’s word to the people beside LakeGennesaret. Those listening to Himhave high words for what He speaks.Nearby, He sees two boats fromwhich the disciples have just disembarked.Then Jesus gets into one ofthe boats belonging to one namedSimon and tells him to put out a littlefrom the shore. While on the boat Hepreaches to the people again.After preaching Jesus asks Simon toput out to the deep for a catch. Simontoil’s whole lot throughout the nightbut ends up empty- handed. The Lordstell him to make another try, the initialset back notwithstanding. “If youdon’t succeed, try and try again.” SoSimon, singing “Let me try again.” ,lowers down his net and 10x and beholdhe catches many fish so that hisnets are breaking.Jesus, a carpenter and therefore plyinga different trade, tells Simon, afisherman, to do something and beundaunted by the fruitness and frustratingnight at sea. Putting his trustand faith to the Lord, Simon followswhat He tells him and he winds upbeing ricaly and amply rewarded.Faith, being a dynamic thing, leadsto following. Obedience to God entailsfaith.Yes, life compares to life at sea. Wesearch or fish for something we want,need, or love. We search for happiness,, love, or need. There are really thingsin life which our hearts naturally orlegitimately aspire for or dream ofwhich help to sustain life or make itmeaningful and pleasant.Life, however, is not always completeand fulfilling. We cannot always getwhat we want or desire in life. Wecannot always have our way. As wego through life we encounter problem,failures, frustrations, waterloos, etc.That we cannot have everything inthis world is but an incontrovertiblefact of life. We must face up to.But how do we respond usually to ourfrustrations or initial setbacks? Whenthings go awry, when things fall shortof our goals, we oftentimes we immediatelyseem to lose heart or ready toshow the white flag. When thingsseem lose and dark, it is good for usnot to be disheartened but rather goon undeterred. Let us not easily giveup o0n something however impossibleor difficult it may seem to be. OneTHE ____________CALL OF SIMONSTEVE C. FERNANDEZ, REFLECTIONSshattered hope is not the end of all.Build your castles though your castlesfall. “This is my quest to follow thatstar no matter how hopeless: Justtrust in the Lord and hold on. Oftentimes it pays to have a never-say-dieattitude and keep on trying. “Thegreatness of a man is not in ever fallingbut in rising every time he falls.”Yes, it really behoves us to carry onin the face of insurmountable oddsand difficultor disappointing moments.Let us persevere, burning ourbridges behind us and putting ourfaith in Him. Before we give up, let usremember what Jesus tells us: “Putout to the deep and lower your netsonce more.”Moreover, seeing the great amountof peace before him, Simon gets aclearer picture of who really Jesus is.Recornizing His power, authority, andlove, Simon throws himself down. Hisrecognition of who Jesus is leads himto the realization of his sinfulness sothat he says: “Depart from me for Iam a sinful man.”Simon shows his humbleness as heacknowledges his sinfulness and so hisunworthiness to accept Him. Simonknows or recognizes who he is, his realself, or his true situation. He concedeshe is a sinner, making no bones of hissinfulness.Acknowledging the humble who accepttheir sinfulness and not the proudwho are full of self-righteousness, theLord tells Simon not to be afraid andthat from now on he will catch men.He will be a fisher of men for GodHe is telling Simon to go to the deepto catch fich once more is viewed asan invitation for him to be His discipleor to follow Him and to continue Hismission. If he balks at the invitation,it is not because he does not want toaccept the mission but because hefeels he is not worthy to follow Himbecause of his sinfulness. He feels heis underserving of such a privilegegiven. Besides, Simon knows his limitations.How can he carry out themission given the limited knowledgeand talents that he has with him whois just a mere fisherman.Yes, the first step towards holiness isto be humble enough like the publicanat the temple to accept our sinfulnessbefore God. We have to accept whoor what we are before Him. We cannot achieve it if we, like the Phariseeat the temple, believe so much in ourselves or capacities. How can we haveit if we regard ourselves as blamelessand pure. God’s grace can not workin us if we do not have that humblenessof heart, that is if we have a highregard or ourselves.Simon is chosen by the Lord but hefeels he is undeserving because of hissinfulness. But the Lord assuringlytells him not to be afraid and not toworry, since it is He who calls him,everything will be in His hands. Hewill take care of everything. Giventhis assurance, Simon follows Him.We see the same thing happens to theproplet Isaiah. Seeing God and Hispower before Him at the temple.Owing to this vision, Isaiah confesseshis unworthiness before Him, saying:I am doomed, for I am a man of uncleanlips living among the people ofunlean lips. Still God calls him andresponding to His call, he says: HereI am. Send me.St. Paus was a persecutor of the ealyChristians and was the worst of sinners.Yet God called him to be anapostle and he responded, allowingHis grace to work in him.Simon’s call is also our call. We arecalled to follow Him or to continue Hismission. Because of our baptism weare expected to be involved in the task.We may have our limitations orshortcomings but because this is Hiswork, He will take care of us if we respond.If we cooperate with His grace,we will be like Simon and his brothersJames and John, we will leave our oldand sinful ways and follow Him.February 7- 13, 20103