Homily for February 7, 2016 Fifth Sunday of Ordinary - C
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
I have a confession to make. I’m afraid of deep water.
When I was in grade school, I couldn’t swim. I tried to learn but never did – in fact, I had a swim instructor who got so frustrated with my not being willing to dive in that he’d throw me back in every time I’d get out of the pool. After several times of this, I waded across to the other side of the pool and crawled out, and I never went back. As a result, I never really learned to swim and to this day I am still deathly afraid of deep water.
But I didn’t want to be afraid and I most certainly didn’t want other kids to know that I was afraid. So after a while, I learned to jump into the deep end of the pool with them, but I’d always jump toward the edge so that I would only have to swim a couple of strokes to reach the ladder and pull myself out.
As I grew older, I continued to “jump into the deep end”, figuratively speaking, even though my swimming hadn’t improved much – I learned to scuba dive and snorkel, and I’d go on float trips. But I can’t float, and have almost drowned several times. I’m still afraid of deep water, but I still do not want to be left behind.
Today’s readings are all about being called into deeper waters.
In our first reading, Isaiah sees the depths of the glory of God. He has this vision of the LORD sitting on a throne, surrounded by celestial beings singing praises to him. By the way, the “Holy, Holy, Holy” that we sing during the preparation of the Eucharist comes from this passage. He knows his limitations and failures and believes he is unworthy to be in God’s presence. He is afraid. But God sends one of the seraphim with a burning ember and touches his lips with it, signifying that Isaiah has been cleansed of his sins and is now ready to accept God’s call.
“Here I am,” Isaiah says. “Send me.”
Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, talks about how, because he persecuted the Church, he was unworthy to enter the depths of Jesus’ mission for him, but the grace of God within him carries him and makes him effective in proclaiming the Good News.
And then we have Simon Peter. He also experiences the depths of God’s call when Jesus first asks him to help him with his mission of preaching to the people. Peter helps him with the easy task; then Jesus puts him on the spot – “Put out into deep water.”
Peter isn’t afraid of deep water; after all, he’s a fisherman. But he’s tired and too caught up with his own problems to be able to fully embrace the glory of God before him. He’s heard Jesus’ message and it has had enough of an impact on him to respond to Jesus’ command to continue fishing, but his heart wasn’t in it. It’s only after experiencing the miraculous catch of fish that awakens him to who really is before him – and he is afraid.
Isn’t that a little like where we are in our faith? We come to Church and receive Jesus through the Eucharist, but we’re a little afraid to put out into the deep waters of our faith. When we do jump, we still jump close to the edge where we can pull ourselves up the ladder to safety.
There’s a song by TobyMac called “Beyond Me”. Don’t worry, I won’t torture you by singing it. It opens with:
Call it a reason to retreat
I got some dreams that are bigger than me
I might be outmatched, outsized, the underdog in the fight of my life
Is it so crazy to believe?
That You gave me the stars put them out of my reach. Called me to waters a little too deep. Oh, I've never been so aware of my need. You keep on making me see. It's way beyond me.
All three readings today point out to us that we are called, and we are called to do things that are beyond our own ability to succeed on our own. And we’re afraid. But we do not need to be. Jesus commands Simon Peter to “Put out into deep water” and tells him: “Do not be afraid.”
He is telling us the same thing. I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: God doesn’t call the qualified, God qualifies the called.”
Lent starts next week. As you ponder what it is that you should “give up” for Lent, I challenge you to give up things that will allow you to spend more time with God – quiet time to listen to Him. He is calling you into deeper waters. The graces that you will find there will fill your boat – your life – to excess with the Joy of Jesus.
Are you willing to jump into the deep end – knowing that Jesus is there to lift you up? Jump in – the water’s fine.
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
I have a confession to make. I’m afraid of deep water.
When I was in grade school, I couldn’t swim. I tried to learn but never did – in fact, I had a swim instructor who got so frustrated with my not being willing to dive in that he’d throw me back in every time I’d get out of the pool. After several times of this, I waded across to the other side of the pool and crawled out, and I never went back. As a result, I never really learned to swim and to this day I am still deathly afraid of deep water.
But I didn’t want to be afraid and I most certainly didn’t want other kids to know that I was afraid. So after a while, I learned to jump into the deep end of the pool with them, but I’d always jump toward the edge so that I would only have to swim a couple of strokes to reach the ladder and pull myself out.
As I grew older, I continued to “jump into the deep end”, figuratively speaking, even though my swimming hadn’t improved much – I learned to scuba dive and snorkel, and I’d go on float trips. But I can’t float, and have almost drowned several times. I’m still afraid of deep water, but I still do not want to be left behind.
Today’s readings are all about being called into deeper waters.
In our first reading, Isaiah sees the depths of the glory of God. He has this vision of the LORD sitting on a throne, surrounded by celestial beings singing praises to him. By the way, the “Holy, Holy, Holy” that we sing during the preparation of the Eucharist comes from this passage. He knows his limitations and failures and believes he is unworthy to be in God’s presence. He is afraid. But God sends one of the seraphim with a burning ember and touches his lips with it, signifying that Isaiah has been cleansed of his sins and is now ready to accept God’s call.
“Here I am,” Isaiah says. “Send me.”
Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, talks about how, because he persecuted the Church, he was unworthy to enter the depths of Jesus’ mission for him, but the grace of God within him carries him and makes him effective in proclaiming the Good News.
And then we have Simon Peter. He also experiences the depths of God’s call when Jesus first asks him to help him with his mission of preaching to the people. Peter helps him with the easy task; then Jesus puts him on the spot – “Put out into deep water.”
Peter isn’t afraid of deep water; after all, he’s a fisherman. But he’s tired and too caught up with his own problems to be able to fully embrace the glory of God before him. He’s heard Jesus’ message and it has had enough of an impact on him to respond to Jesus’ command to continue fishing, but his heart wasn’t in it. It’s only after experiencing the miraculous catch of fish that awakens him to who really is before him – and he is afraid.
Isn’t that a little like where we are in our faith? We come to Church and receive Jesus through the Eucharist, but we’re a little afraid to put out into the deep waters of our faith. When we do jump, we still jump close to the edge where we can pull ourselves up the ladder to safety.
There’s a song by TobyMac called “Beyond Me”. Don’t worry, I won’t torture you by singing it. It opens with:
Call it a reason to retreat
I got some dreams that are bigger than me
I might be outmatched, outsized, the underdog in the fight of my life
Is it so crazy to believe?
That You gave me the stars put them out of my reach. Called me to waters a little too deep. Oh, I've never been so aware of my need. You keep on making me see. It's way beyond me.
All three readings today point out to us that we are called, and we are called to do things that are beyond our own ability to succeed on our own. And we’re afraid. But we do not need to be. Jesus commands Simon Peter to “Put out into deep water” and tells him: “Do not be afraid.”
He is telling us the same thing. I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: God doesn’t call the qualified, God qualifies the called.”
Lent starts next week. As you ponder what it is that you should “give up” for Lent, I challenge you to give up things that will allow you to spend more time with God – quiet time to listen to Him. He is calling you into deeper waters. The graces that you will find there will fill your boat – your life – to excess with the Joy of Jesus.
Are you willing to jump into the deep end – knowing that Jesus is there to lift you up? Jump in – the water’s fine.
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