FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

1. The problem with the readings this weekend is what not to say. We have enough material here for a whole Parish Mission. A series of talks could be given on Vocation of the individual person, the mission of different parish groups, the Vision of the Parish which goes beyond the many parish groups like CWL, the Parish Social Ministry, the Charismatic Groups for example. And so I will try to limit my reflection to the Vocation within our personal Vocations.

2. We have three personalities in our three readings.
Isaiah says "I am a man of unclean lips"
Paul says "I am unfit to be called an apostle"
Peter says, "I am a sinful man"
Why did the good God call these men
who had such a low opinion of themselves,
who had  an inferiority complex according our present day  psychologists .  For the Kingdom of God you need salespeople who had the ability to sell ice to Eskimoes. You had to have people who were convinced of their mission - and would be on fire to spread the Good News.

3. Actually each of us already has a vocation: we are mothers and fathers, married or single, priests or religious, - we have careers that we are following. But within these vocations there is a another Calling - which we must follow just like the poet Laureate John Masefield 1878-1967:
I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied

3a       Isaiah already had a vocation when the Lord called him. He was a priest and the counsellor over a 40 year period  to four kings: Uzziah, Jothan, Ahaz and Hezzekiah. Moses wanted to see God face to face which was not possible, because to see God was to die. However Moses did see God through a mirror darkly and his face grew radiant. Isaiah had a similar experience of the goodness, the awesomeness of God and after that  experience even though he was a man of unclean lips, he could not stop proclaiming the Goodness of God.

3b Paul considers himself not worthy to be called an apostle. He was like the one born out of time. The English sounds very gentle - he was born a premature baby. However the Greek word says that he was born like something horrible, expelled from the womb as a deformity unfit to be there. Yet after the experience on the road to Damascus, he would be the fiery apostle to the gentiles.

3c Peter and his companions would hardly fit the requisites to be anything but fishermen. If they were to be screened by the Better Business Bureaus of Jerusalem, the report would probably have read as follows:
Peter is a temperamental character, given into mood swings. Undependable
Andrew has absolutely no leadership qualities
James and John - will not be loyal - their self interest would be destructive.
Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale.
Matthew has been blacklisted by the Jerusalem Better Business Bureau.
James, the Son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus are manic-depressive.
And yet Jesus takes these smelly characters in more senses than one to be his "main men." after the experience of the catching of the Fish, he just has to leave everything and follow Jesus.

4. As members of this parish community we have our vocations as I said earlier: mothers and father priests religious, single, separated or widowed. But above and beyond that like Isaiah was caught  up in the spirit and Paul thrown down from his horse, and Peter with his abundant catch... we too have had experiences and go beyond our fist calling:

-some have experienced cruelty to animals : - and have become animal right activists
-some have seen how much the sanctity of marriage has influenced their lives and have become involved in marriage encounter
-some have held a baby in their arms and seen the beauty of God - and have become Pro-Life activists.
-some have seen the street person and the homeless - and have become involved in Social Justice.
-some have seen the horrors of gay bashing and have become involved in a struggle for Equal Rights for all.

5. Each of these calls involves a total self giving. Sometimes people will so focussed on that one issue that all others seem meaningless. No sacrifice is enough. No money is sufficient. Like the gospel parable ,"having found a pearl of great price they sell all and go and purchase it.   When you meet people like these, you see two things in their eyes, if they are truly from God. There is a certain wildness for their call (something like John the Baptist) and these is always the gentleness of Jesus who call all those who laboured and were overburdened. Another noticeable thing about these Calls is that there usually seems to be apparent failure in their efforts. Their glory is seen often centuries after they have gone.
     I have met people like these and have said, I would not do what you are doing for all the gold in the world or the proverbial tea in China. And they have always replied, "Neither would I!. But I cannot help myself and like Isaiah, I have to say, "Here I am Lord, send me."

6. Isaiah was called to admonish the King and the People about social injustice, greed and oppression and dissolute living. Isaiah knew that they would not change, yet he would say, "here I am Lord, send me." He knew that Israel would be taken captive. And Hezekiah would be shut up like a bird in a cage, as King of Assyria, Senacherib boasted.
What we are called to in our day and age is to the character that was sealed on us at the time of baptism: to be priest, prophet and act in a dignified manner of people born with royal blood. Henri Nouwen in one of his books (I can't remember which ) gives us a beautiful description of what this Vocation involves.

6a First we have to be as prophets people who can articulate, who can put into words, who can describe the experiences of those who journey with us as fellow pilgrims to the Kingdom of God. It is important on the journey to put into words the dreams of those who can see visions and yet are voiceless, it is important to give hope to those who are confused. There are many who like Thomas say, we do not know where you are going so how can we know the way.

6b Secondly, our Calling as individuals and as a parish is to be compassionate. In his book, Best Parishes by Paul Wiles, Paul says that Women in the Parish of St. Francis of Assisi in Oregon have made the parish come alive because they are compassionate. They do not claim to know the answers as opposed to the stereotype of "Father knows best." And hence people are willing to journey along with these women who run this "priest less parish" in this Harlem type of parish in Oregon.

6c Finally, according to Henri Nouwen, our parish and individual vocation calls us to be contemplative. As the Latin Phrase goes, "nemo dat quod non habet." No one can share what he does not have. If we are to be fishers of people, then we better know the Maker of the Sea and the Fish.. Like Jesus we need to spend the night in prayer and contemplation. This will involve getting to know the Spirit - who gives the gift of love, the give of service, the gift of forgiveness, the spirit of selflessness.

7. These qualities are present here in abundance in some people, latent in others. We must let this Spirit be heard within us. A voice that gives hope to fearful,
A voice that gives dignity to homeless and voiceless,
a voice that gives respect because we know we are made in the image of God.
I can only end with the Words of the angel after the Ascension, "Ye men of Galilee why do you stand here gazing at the Sky - go !"

“Go and spread the Good News beginning in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”