Homily  - Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – February 8, 2004

 

In the midst of this Ordinary Time of the year – as we listen to the Word of God – our Scripture talks about Ministry and the call to be ministers of God’s Word.

 

Reverend Billy Graham tells of a time early in his ministry when he arrived in a small town to preach a sermon.  Wanting to mail a letter, he asked a young boy where the post office was.  When the boy had told him, Dr. Graham thanked him and said, “If you’ll come to the Baptist church this evening, you can hear me telling everyone how to get to heaven.”

“I don’t think I’ll be there,” the boy said.  “You don’t even know your way to the post office.”

 

And then there is the legend that tells about the time the devil decided to close up shop in one part of the world and open up in another.  A “going out of business” sale was announced.  One of the first customers, being quite fascinated with the various evil instruments on display, noticed that of all the devil’s tolls, the highest priced one was called “discouragement.”

“Why is this one so expensive?” he inquired.

“Quite simple,” replied the devil.  “It is my favorite. With the tool of discouragement I can pry into almost everyone’s life and cause all kinds of damage.”

 

Our scripture today as it talks about the call to ministry talks about taking courage in the face of it – to not be discouraged. Its about trust – about believing in the One Who calls us.

 

We hear various stories about Isaiah and his call.  In today’s reading God’s makes God’s self very clear to the prophet to be.  And Isaiah is overwhelmed. The usual message is “why me?” – “how can I do it?” “I’m sure to fail.”  But the fact is that it is God’s call that forms the prophet – its God’s call that gives the strength and ability.

When God calls Isaiah – it is up to Isaiah to trust that God will make the way clear and give him the power to fulfill the plan.

 

Paul in his Letter to the Corinthians is as he does so often talking to people who have doubts – doubts about the power of the Gospel – doubts as to what Jesus had called them to do – doubts about their own future and power. But Paul tells them simply – this is what we believe in - Jesus gave us the message – Jesus lived the message – Jesus calls us to continue the message – if we just know that and trust that – the basic message of Jesus Christ then all things are possible – we have power.

 

And finally in the Gospel the disciples illustrate their own lack of confidence – their misunderstanding of who Jesus was for them and what he calls them to. And Jesus simply tells them to “put out into deep water.”  - to take the plunge – to take the risk. And of course they see the result – they realize their ability – they know their power.

 

And so we are called to be also ministers of this Word.  We gather as people who because of our Baptisms have been called to be messengers of the word.  We gather as people who have listened to God’s word and somewhere in our hearts we know that we are, like Isaiah, called to answer that question of God’s “Whom shall I send?” with the frightening answer – “Here I am, send me.”

 

And what hinders us from that answer – the obstacle for us is the same as faced by Isaiah and the disciples in the boat and the community at Corinth that Paul addressed.

 

We too often don’t think we have the power to be messengers of God’s Word – we’re too afraid to take the chance.  Too often we are discouraged by the obstacles and so we would sit back and hope that others would do the ministering – others would take the challenge.

 

But it is God who is challenging us – and it is God’s who forms us and gives us the power.

 

And so if this God is telling us to “put out into the deep water”  “to lower the nets” what is God calling you and I to?  What are the risks we are called to take and the chances we have to make in order to respond to God’s call and to live our Baptism?

 

Perhaps it simple means that we need to be the messenger of truth in the midst of people who are afraid of truth.

 

Perhaps we need to be the harbingers of peace in a world that finds peace too risky.

Perhaps we need to be people who build a community of cooperation in a society that cherishes competitiveness above all.

 

Perhaps in the midst of a culture that would exclude the other we need to be ones who embrace inclusively.

 

And any and all of this in one shape or form or another can be deep water. But we would take the plunge and throw out the nets – we would take the risks involved for the sake of building the reign of God. For that is what you and are called to – to be ministers of God’s Word, God’s love.