Fifth Sunday after Trinity, Sunday, June 30, 2013
Fr. Todd Bragg
St. Margaret Anglican Church
Indianapolis, Indiana
"Nevertheless, at Thy word I will let down the net." (St. Luke 5:1 ff)
Like a lot of the people mentioned in the Bible, we just don't know that many facts about certain people or as much as we would like to know. For example, there are not a lot of facts about St. Peter that we know, but we do know the following facts about St. Peter: He was the brother of St. Andrew. He was the son of Jonah. He was a fisherman from Bethsaida. And he lived with his wife and mother-in-law and this fact probably explains why he spent so much time fishing!
We also know that St. Peter was known for a lot of dumb things that he said. For example, think back to when St. Peter exclaimed that he would never forsake Our Lord. Immediately, though, Our Blessed Saviour told St. Peter: "Before the cock crows, you will deny Me three times . . . ." and look at what happened. St. Peter did deny Our Lord exactly as He predicted. While it is true that St. Peter did stick his foot in his mouth on more than one occasion, St. Peter is also responsible for many wonderful things that he said. Look at St. Matthew's Gospel, for example, to hear a conversation between Our Saviour and St. Peter:
"Whom do men say that I am? And they said, Some say Thou are John the Baptist; some Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the Prophets. He saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art Thou, Simon Bar-Jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealoed it unto thee, but My Father Which is in Heaven." (St. Matthew 16:13-17)
In today's Gospel from the Fifth Chapter of St. Luke, we see that St. Peter even though he did not understand still had faith. He had been out fishing all night and did not catch anything. I am sure that he was exhausted, he was tired, he was worn out, he was probably disappointed at working so hard and having nothing to show for it and yet here was Our Saviour telling him to put out his nets one more time. I am sure St. Peter was thinking to himself: What does this guy know? But even though he might have had doubts; even though he might not have understood or been able to comprehend, he had faith to follow Our Lord's command.
We hear in Hebrews: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1). Think back to the example of St. Mary when the angel appeared to her. She even admitted that she did not understand because she said "How can this be?" And yet St. Mary gave her "fiat," which is basically a fancy way of saying "Yes" to God. As Christians, we are called to give our "fiat" every day.
Elsewhere in Hebrews we hear: "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end." (Hebrews 3:14) Notice that word "steadfast," we are called to be steadfast to the Lord. It did not say that we will be perfect or that we will always understand or that we will always comprehend. Sometimes we will say stupid things that we wished we could take back. Sometimes we will mess up but, like St. Peter, he remained steadfast even when he messed up. We, too, are called to be steadfast even when we make mistakes.
Listen to this passage from the Letter to the Romans: "How then shall they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the Gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:14-17)
Faith comes from understanding and understanding comes from listening. Notice the difference between hearing and paying attention. There is a difference between listening and hearing. I can hear something but does not mean that I am paying attention to what I am hearing. As Christians, we are call to listen to God; in particular, to pay attention to what God is saying to us. Thus, we will be like St. Peter as our example. We will mess up sometimes because we are humans and will make mistakes. But we will remember to be steadfast by hearing the Word of God and we will do this by first making a point to pay attention and listening to what God has to say to us.
"Nevertheless, at Thy word I will let down the net." (St. Luke 5:1 ff)
Like a lot of the people mentioned in the Bible, we just don't know that many facts about certain people or as much as we would like to know. For example, there are not a lot of facts about St. Peter that we know, but we do know the following facts about St. Peter: He was the brother of St. Andrew. He was the son of Jonah. He was a fisherman from Bethsaida. And he lived with his wife and mother-in-law and this fact probably explains why he spent so much time fishing!
We also know that St. Peter was known for a lot of dumb things that he said. For example, think back to when St. Peter exclaimed that he would never forsake Our Lord. Immediately, though, Our Blessed Saviour told St. Peter: "Before the cock crows, you will deny Me three times . . . ." and look at what happened. St. Peter did deny Our Lord exactly as He predicted. While it is true that St. Peter did stick his foot in his mouth on more than one occasion, St. Peter is also responsible for many wonderful things that he said. Look at St. Matthew's Gospel, for example, to hear a conversation between Our Saviour and St. Peter:
"Whom do men say that I am? And they said, Some say Thou are John the Baptist; some Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the Prophets. He saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art Thou, Simon Bar-Jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealoed it unto thee, but My Father Which is in Heaven." (St. Matthew 16:13-17)
In today's Gospel from the Fifth Chapter of St. Luke, we see that St. Peter even though he did not understand still had faith. He had been out fishing all night and did not catch anything. I am sure that he was exhausted, he was tired, he was worn out, he was probably disappointed at working so hard and having nothing to show for it and yet here was Our Saviour telling him to put out his nets one more time. I am sure St. Peter was thinking to himself: What does this guy know? But even though he might have had doubts; even though he might not have understood or been able to comprehend, he had faith to follow Our Lord's command.
We hear in Hebrews: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1). Think back to the example of St. Mary when the angel appeared to her. She even admitted that she did not understand because she said "How can this be?" And yet St. Mary gave her "fiat," which is basically a fancy way of saying "Yes" to God. As Christians, we are called to give our "fiat" every day.
Elsewhere in Hebrews we hear: "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end." (Hebrews 3:14) Notice that word "steadfast," we are called to be steadfast to the Lord. It did not say that we will be perfect or that we will always understand or that we will always comprehend. Sometimes we will say stupid things that we wished we could take back. Sometimes we will mess up but, like St. Peter, he remained steadfast even when he messed up. We, too, are called to be steadfast even when we make mistakes.
Listen to this passage from the Letter to the Romans: "How then shall they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the Gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:14-17)
Faith comes from understanding and understanding comes from listening. Notice the difference between hearing and paying attention. There is a difference between listening and hearing. I can hear something but does not mean that I am paying attention to what I am hearing. As Christians, we are call to listen to God; in particular, to pay attention to what God is saying to us. Thus, we will be like St. Peter as our example. We will mess up sometimes because we are humans and will make mistakes. But we will remember to be steadfast by hearing the Word of God and we will do this by first making a point to pay attention and listening to what God has to say to us.
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