Daily Readings - Sun Feb 10 2019
Isaiah
1In the year in which king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, sublime and exalted, and the things that were under him filled the temple2The Seraphims were standing above the throne. One had six wings, and the other had six wings: with two they were covering his face, and with two they were covering his feet, and with two they were flying3And they were crying out to one another, and saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts! All the earth is filled with his glory!4And the lintels above the hinges were shaken at the voice of the one crying out. And the house was filled with smoke5And I said: "Woe to me! For I have remained silent. For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live in the midst of a people having unclean lips, and I have seen with my eyes the King, the Lord of hosts!6And one of the Seraphims flew to me, and in his hand was a burning coal, which he had taken with tongs from the altar7And he touched my mouth, and he said, "Behold, this has touched your lips, and so your iniquities will be taken away, and your sin will be cleansed.8And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send?" and, "Who will go for us?" And I said: "Here I am. Send me.
1 Corinthians
3For I handed on to you, first of all, what I also received: that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures4and that he was buried; and that he rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures5and that he was seen by Cephas, and after that by the eleven6Next he was seen by more than five hundred brothers at one time, many of whom remain, even to the present time, although some have fallen asleep7Next, he was seen by James, then by all the Apostles8And last of all, he was seen also by me, as if I were someone born at the wrong time11For whether it is I or they: so we preach, and so you have believed
Luke
1Now it happened that, when the crowds pressed toward him, so that they might hear the word of God, he was standing beside the lake of Genesaret2And he saw two boats standing beside the lake. But the fishermen had climbed down, and they were washing their nets3And so, climbing into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, he asked him to draw back a little from the land. And sitting down, he taught the crowds from the boat4Then, when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Lead us into deep water, and release your nets for a catch.5And in response, Simon said to him: "Teacher, working throughout the night, we caught nothing. But on your word, I will release the net.6And when they had done this, they enclosed such a copious multitude of fish that their net was rupturing7And they signaled to their associates, who were in the other boat, so that they would come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they were nearly submerged8But when Simon Peter had seen this, he fell down at the knees of Jesus, saying, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.9For astonishment had enveloped him, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish that they had taken10Now the same was true of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were associates of Simon. And Jesus said to Simon: "Do not be afraid. From now on, you will be catching men.11And having led their boats to land, leaving behind everything, they followed him
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter three profound narratives that invite us to reflect on our response to God's call. The first reading from Isaiah describes the prophet's vision in the temple, where he is overwhelmed by God's holiness and humbled by his own unworthiness. Yet, through the cleansing by the seraphim, Isaiah is empowered to accept his mission. This passage reminds us that true humility is the foundation of any divine calling.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians presents the core of the Gospel message: Christ's death, resurrection, and the witnesses who attest to His victory over sin. Paul, once an unlikely apostle, emphasizes that the resurrection is the heart of our faith. His testimony, despite initial resistance, illustrates that God's grace can transform anyone into a vessel for His truth.
In the Gospel, Luke recounts the miraculous catch of fish, which serves as a turning point for Peter, James, and John. Despite their initial doubt and sense of inadequacy, they trust in Jesus' word and are called to a greater purpose. This story highlights that our limitations do not hinder God's ability to work through us.
These readings weave together a common theme: the call to serve God despite our perceived shortcomings. Isaiah, Paul, and the disciples all felt unworthy, yet they trusted in God's plan. In our lives, we are similarly called to recognize God's voice, embrace our mission, and trust in His grace. Let us approach our challenges with humility and faith, knowing that God equips us for the tasks He sets before us. May we, like these biblical figures, respond with courage and faith, allowing God to use us in ways beyond our imagination.