Daily Readings - Sun Feb 06 2022
Isaiah
1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.2Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.3And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.5"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."6Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.7With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
1 Corinthians
3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,5and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.11Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
Luke
1One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God,2he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."5Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,10and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.11Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Sermon
The readings today offer us a powerful reflection on the nature of God’s call and our response to it. In the first reading from Isaiah, we encounter the prophet’s dramatic vision in the temple. Overwhelmed by the majesty of God, Isaiah humbly acknowledges his own unworthiness, yet he is purified and empowered by God to accept the mission: “Here I am, send me.” This moment marks the beginning of Isaiah’s prophetic ministry, reminding us that God’s call often comes when we least expect it and that our response must be one of trust and surrender.
In the second reading from 1 Corinthians, Paul reminds us of the core of our Christian faith: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection appearances, including the one to Paul himself, serve as a testament to the power of God’s love and the truth of the Gospel. Just as Isaiah was called to speak God’s word, we too are called to share the Good News with others, trusting in the transformative power of Christ’s resurrection.
The Gospel from Luke brings us to the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus calls Simon Peter and the other fishermen to follow him. Despite their initial doubts and feelings of unworthiness, they experience the miraculous catch of fish, which becomes a sign of God’s presence and power in their lives. Like Isaiah and Paul, they are transformed by their encounter with God and respond with faith, leaving everything behind to follow Jesus.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own response to God’s call. Like Isaiah, we may feel unworthy or unprepared, but God’s grace can purify and empower us. Like the disciples, we may have doubts or fears, but Jesus’ promise to make us “catchers of men” reminds us that our lives are not our own but are meant to be lived in service to others. Let us ask ourselves today: How am I responding to God’s call in my life? Am I willing to trust in His power and follow Him, even when it feels uncertain or challenging? May we, like Isaiah, Peter, and Paul, say with humility and faith, “Here I am, send me.”