Catching Men

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 and 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 made had seized him and 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.

Consideration: Seeing this remarkable event, Simon Peter tells Jesus, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." 

We too are sinners; not worthy of the love of our Lord. But Jesus is calling us as well, to drop all of the attachments that are binding us from freedom to live out our faith. Once we listen to the call of Jesus in our hearts and respond to his will, we too will be free to touch those in our lives by the way we live and lead them to the Lord of all. Amen.

Demons knew he was the Christ

After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out of many, shouting, "You are the Son of God." But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew he was the Christ. At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, "To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent." And he was preaching in the synagogue of Judea.

Consideration: Over two thousand years ago the demons knew that Jesus was the Christ; and today, nothing has changed. The demons now attack everything that is of Christ here on earth. The battle for souls is real; demons do not sleep and are confronting humanity with a relentless war for the destruction of souls. Be on guard always and know that this battle we are in is being fought for the glory of God. Stand firm in Christ; the reward is everlasting and for all of eternity. Amen.

Holy One of God

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In a synagogue there was a man there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a load voice, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, "What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

Consideration: Lord, Jesus, your wisdom and teaching astonished all who heard your words. You commanded the demon spirit to come out of the man, and it immediately left him. Yes, you are the Holy One of God! Amen.

Proclaim Jesus Christ and Him Crucified

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. 

Consideration: Saint Paul tells the Corinthian people his gift of speech and testimony was to proclaim Jesus Christ, and him crucified; proclaiming that their faith was through the power of God. Amen.

Eternity!

 

Fires raging out of control, mass destruction tornados, reservoirs dangerously low, no one seems to care.

Earthquake death tolls, tidal wave destructive blows, flash flood catastrophes, nature's force is on a tear. 

 

Wars are raging around the world, nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and so it goes.

Sons and daughters with families, of all nationalities, many become casualties; so it goes the oil flows.

 

The mighty forces rage, nothing stays the same, in a blink of an eye everything can change, so quickly.

The power of storms, the pain rages on, tears and fears never ending, the Imagery of disaster, sickening.

 

When will an era of peace find its way to us; when will the poison of hell on earth run its course...when?

Freedom from the natural order; freedom from the world order; freedom from all powers that be...Eternity!  

His Father's Glory

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders., the chief priests, the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct."

Consideration: Peter is rebuked by Jesus for his lack of faith, trust, and understanding. Then he speaks to us about self-denial and sacrifice as a reward for eternal life. This statement is truth; if we wish to spend eternity with our Lord, we need to heed his direction to us. Amen.

God chose the weak of the World

Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.

Consideration: Saint Paul tells us that we do not need to be held in high esteem by worldly standards. The Lord calls those who are poor, weak, foolish, and despised of the world to bring the powerful and wise to their knees. God brings forth from the hearts of the humble the ability to transform the hearts of the noble, wise, and powerful; with love. Amen.