Obedience is the Generosity of the Heart
PURPOSE
September 2, 2020
JESUS’ SENSE OF HUMOR
September 3, 2020PITIK-BULAG: Obedience is the Generosity of the Heart
Frustrations and exhaustion were lingering in the hearts of the disciples upon returning home without any catch. They were fishing the whole night, toiling and hoping to return home with some catch, but they went home nothing. Such was the situation of Peter and the disciples when they met Jesus on the shore. They just wanted to go home, take a rest, and wished for better luck the next day. It was at that moment that Jesus suddenly got into the boat of Peter. It was the beginning of Peter’s calling and transformation from “fisher of fish” to “fisher of men.”
Like Peter and disciples, we have also countless frustrations and failures nowadays. We are tired of the lingering pandemic in our midst. We feel fruitless, useless, and hopeless at the moment. We want something more exciting, meaningful, and productive to happen to us, yet none in our sight.
The gospel today gives us a sense of hope and new insight. Fruitfulness and meaning come in our obedience to the will of God. It’s a matter of listening to Jesus and obeying His will every moment. We are disciples of Jesus. Following HIm with all our hearts and minds could give us daily miracles and overflowing graces. It’s a matter trusting the Lord, by allowing Him to jump into our life, by allowing Him to use us, by obeying His words to go into the deep and by throwing our nets into the sea.
Here are some points for consideration in your prayerful moments:
1. Obedience is the Generosity of the Heart.
Many of us feel that sharing our time, treasures, and talents make us generous. But more than that, genuine generosity lies in our ability to obey the will of God.
In our gospel, Peter exemplified great generosity to Jesus when he allowed HIm to use his boat for preaching and go a little further away from the shore (Luke 5:3). Second, he obeyed Him to go into the deep. Third, he followed His instructions to throw his nets for a catch (Luke 5:4). In spite of being tired and frustrated, Peter obeyed the Lord all the way. As an experienced fisherman, his experience of no catch in that evening, and the impossibility of catching fish in the morning, he still obeyed Jesus. The generosity of Peter was overflowing in spite of his hesitancy, doubt, and fatigue. Because of this, he was rewarded with a catch beyond his expectations.
“Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” (Luke 5:5).
2. The Generosity of God.
The Lord has seen the generosity of Peter’s heart. He was touched by how Peter obeyed Him in spite of the countless odds. Peter showed great generosity. Thus, the Lord rewarded him with a bountiful catch (Luke 5:6). We cannot really outdo God in His generosity. And most of the time, the miracles in our lives, small and big, are basically the fruit of our own LISTENING AND DOING OF THE WILL OF GOD.
“When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats so that they began to sink.” (Luke 5: 6-7).
3. The Call to Discipleship
In the midst of overflowing graces, Peter recognized his unworthiness. He did not deserve such a miracle and kind treatment by Jesus. He admitted his sinful condition in front of Jesus, but the Lord gave him more by inviting Him to become one of His disciples. Gratitude is the memory of the heart. And with Peter’s overflowing generosity of the heart, he left everything and followed Jesus. (Luke 5:11).
We are like Peter and disciples in the midst of this pandemic. We feel totally unproductive, hopeless, and tired every day. We are Christians. We are Jesus’s disciples. We are being invited by the Lord to exert extra generosity from our hearts by LISTENING AND OBEYING HIS WILL. Let’s reclaim our calling as FISHERS OF PEOPLE. Countless people are physically, emotionally, and spiritually sick. The Lord needs us to bring them back to His loving Presence. We are missioned to shepherd the lost, heal the broken-hearted, and bring hope to the hopeless. Miracles await us. But obedience is the main element of a miracle. We shall remain unproductive daily in this pandemic if we remain in our comfort zones. Let’s invite the Lord into our boat (our life), go into the deep (leave our comfort zones) and throw our nets (time, treasures, and talents) to the sea. Lots of fish awaits. Miracles will come.
Let’s think less of ourselves and think more of others. Let’s catch people and bring them closer to Jesus.
– Fr. Wilfredo M. Samson
Pitik-Bulag
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September 3, 2020 – Thursday
Gospel Reading: Luke 5: 1-11
