Religious experience reveals our dependence on God
Peter, Isaiah see their sinfulness unveiled as the Lord calls them to mission
Readings for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 6, 2022
Isaiah 6.1-2, 3-8 | Psalm 138 | 1 Corinthians 15.1-11 | Luke 5.1-11
Don’t we all yearn for a deep experience of God’s presence, an experience where the veil between heaven and earth is lifted, and we snuggle up close with the Lord? Apparently not.
Sunday’s Gospel tells of Peter’s realization that Jesus is more than a wise prophet, that the divine is somehow present in this man. Rather than being in bliss, Peter is struck with terror.
Peter and his buddies had spent a hope-sucking, fruitless night of fishing. Jesus asks Peter to let down his nets one more time, and Peter reluctantly agrees. “We’re already cleaning the nets, but what the heck?” So many fish came to the scene that the nets began to rip, and the boat started sinking. Peter and everyone else present were stunned at the gargantuan fish pile that resulted.
However, rather than desiring to draw close to Jesus, Peter’s reaction is mixed. He falls to his knees before Jesus and declares, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
Later at the Transfiguration, Peter is not so wishy-washy. He wants to stay on the mountaintop with Jesus forever. No mention here of his being a sinful man.
We are entitled to wonder about Peter’s response at the lake of Gennesaret. Wouldn’t the better response to the miracle have been, “Draw near to me, Lord, for I am a sinful man”? Peter’s awareness of Jesus’ goodness and his own sinfulness should make Peter yearn to draw closer to the man he kneels before. Shouldn’t it? Doesn’t he realize God’s grace will overcome his sinfulness?
Probably human reactions to profound religious experience should not be judged. How would I react if Jesus showed up in my backyard and turned my garden into a lush jungle of vegetables and tropical fruits? Yet this example is not parallel to Peter’s experience. In the miraculous catch of fish Peter gets a new job.
The point of the story is not that Jesus can produce a netload of fish in a flash. Rather, it testifies to Jesus’ divinity. Spectacular events are needed to shock a person into realizing this is no ordinary meeting by the sea. The Lord God is on site, and he wants something from you. Jesus had plans for Peter. The point is the call to discipleship. Jesus then calms Peter’s fears and issues his call: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”
Likewise, the First Reading is another call narrative with an extravaganza even more spectacular than the one Peter witnessed. Isaiah has a vision of the Lord seated on a lofty throne while seraphs attended to him and sang his praises. Isaiah too is taken aback. “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips.”
Then a seraph flew to Isaiah holding a live coal taken from the altar. He touches Isaiah’s unclean lips. That must have hurt. A lot. Yet, the hot coal freed him from sin and guilt. The Lord then asked, “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah, now emboldened, replied, “Here I am; send me!”
Is he crazy? Who wants more hot coals pressed to their lips? However, the removal of sin plants the virtue of courage in Isaiah. With God’s grace, he is strengthened to speak truth to those who thinking they are running God’s show.
Peak religious experiences are given not to make us high on the Lord. Typically, they help us hear and respond to a call, a call which can stretch us past our limits. The mission to which we are called is so difficult that we cannot carry it out on our own. We need divine assistance. The peak experience is an assurance that God is with us and that we must rely on God for the mission to bear fruit.
God is always with us, not just at the moment of the epiphany. If we have eyes to see, we will detect that presence. Moreover, the overcoming of sin is not a one-time event. We get with the plan when we examine our lives daily by focusing on gratitude for the fish suddenly found in deep waters and by taking note of where our sinfulness persists in bubbling to the surface.
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