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Master·evangeli.net

Today's Gospel + short theological explanation

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
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Gospel text (Lk 5:1-11): While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God (…) 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 (…). When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” (…). 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.

The divine call

EDITORIAL TEAM evangeli.net (based on texts by Benedict XVI) (Città del Vaticano, Vatican)

Today, the Liturgy presents us with the subject of the divine call. Asked by Jesus to cast their nets although they had caught nothing during the night, trusting in his word, Simon Peter and the other disciples obtain a superabundant catch. In the face of this miracle Simon Peter does not throw his arms around Jesus to express his joy at the unexpected catch. Rather, he falls to his knees.

Jesus, therefore, reassures him: "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men" (cf. Lk 5:10); and leaving everything, he followed him. We see how an authentic encounter with God brings the human being to recognize his poverty and inadequacy, his limitations and his sins. Yet in spite of this weakness the Lord, rich in mercy and forgiveness, transforms the life of human beings and calls them to follow him.

—The Lord does not look at what is important to human beings (the outward appearance); the Lord looks on the heart and makes human beings who are poor and weak, but have faith in him, fearless apostles and heralds of salvation.