Homilies and Addresses 2007
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Celebrated By Archbishop Denis Hart
at St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne
on Sunday, 4th February, 2007 at 11.00am

Introduction

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Jesus invites us, like the apostles in today’s Gospel, to come on the adventure of faith. 

To know him, say yes to him and then to be a hope giver for the world.

As we call to mind our sins and take up our year’s work, let us acknowledge that only in God and in his path can we follow and find true happiness.

Homily

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

You can imagine the scene.  The apostles come back to the shore with empty boats and meet Jesus.  They are cold and tired, have worked all night and no fish.  Then Jesus asks them to cast out and a miraculous catch of fish is the result.  We know they have met Jesus, said yes to what he asks and wonderful results have come.

The Mass today invites us to ask the question, whether Jesus is someone we meet and follow in our life or just a casual acquaintance or someone whom we might think might have good ideas or a good perspective on life, whom we might admire as a wonderful person, but yet, one who we do not follow.

Each of us does not have to live very long before we realise that we are broken and we do have weaknesses, things with which we struggle.  If we make comparisons between the wonderful things we see Jesus doing in the Gospel and our own failures the contrast is striking.  Yet meeting with Jesus is transforming.

Like Isaiah (First Reading) we can say, “What a wretched state I am in, I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips”, but after receiving the touch of the coal from God’s messenger we are transformed.  We say, here I am, send me.

As we praise the Lord on this day, we know we are in good company.  God’s power is wonderful; as he made Paul change from being filled with hatred of God’s Church and of his people to being its great messenger to the world.

The power of that meeting with Jesus in our lives, realising on the one hand our unworthiness, but on the other the power of God to inspire.  When Our Lord said, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”, this means that if we are sincere and open in loving and following him, then the transformation in us will be complete.  Like Peter, if we say, “leave me Lord I am a sinful man” and we are truly sorry and seek forgiveness, then Our Lord’s reassuring words – do not be afraid from now on it is men you will catch - show us that God has a specific plan of great things that he can accomplish through us, no matter who we may be nor at what stage of life.

Let us ponder today the power and wonder of that invitation, the surety of challenge and sometimes uncertainty, but the even greater surety of a happiness this world cannot give.

Let us then follow him, trust him, love him and discover great things.

+ Denis J. Hart,
Archbishop of Melbourne.