Do Not Be Afraid

SEPTEMBER 01, 2022, THURSDAY
Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
CYCLE C - YEAR II
Lectionary: 434

Reading 1
1 Cor 3:18-23

Brothers and sisters:
Let no one deceive himself.
If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age,
let him become a fool, so as to become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God,
for it is written:

God catches the wise in their own ruses,

and again:

The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you,
Paul or Apollos or Cephas,
or the world or life or death,
or the present or the future:
all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

R. (1) To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.

 
The LORD's are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.

R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.

Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.

R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.

 
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.

R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.

Alleluia

Mt 4:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 
Come after me, says the Lord,
and I will make you fishers of men.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, 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.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them.
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
"Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
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.

 

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

 

In this scene, Jesus is a teacher who inspires his followers to action. His followers are physically tired and disappointed with their own efforts. It is not just the words of Jesus but also the power of his authority that give us faith and courage to do what he asks. The faith and courage of his followers are rewarded with a miracle in this scene.

We are all part of a faith community, and there will be times when we can achieve more for God by working with fellow believers. The experience of following Jesus will change us forever more.

 

 

PRAYER:

We watch Jesus as he comes along the shore with a crowd pressing around him to hear everything he says. Let this image of Jesus capture our imagination, so that we could say, ‘I will recognise him no matter where or when I meet him’.