But by the grace of God I am what I am.

Dear Friends,

I find an interesting parallel between Simon Peter in our reading from Luke’s gospel this weekend and the writing of the apostle Paul in today’s second reading. In the gospel, after being hard at work all night fishing without any catch Simon Peter lets Jesus borrow his boat to preach to the crowd gathered at the lake. Then the Lord tells Peter “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Peter, though tired and skeptical, obeys and immediately so many fish are caught that the nets are tearing and the boats are in danger of sinking. Peter’s response is to fall to his knees in astonishment saying “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” 

St. Paul, writing to the church at Corinth, reminds them “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day” and goes on to detail a number of appearances the Risen Christ made including to five hundred at once. Lastly, he writes, “as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective.” What complete confidence in God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness Paul expresses here!
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Back to Peter in the Gospel, though. Unlike Paul, who had experienced the Risen Christ, Peter only knew that he had received a compelling call from Jesus who of course had not yet been crucified nor risen. In fact this reading takes place relatively early in Jesus’ public ministry. But Jesus’ response to Peter’s fearful admission of his sinfulness is one that looks forward, not back on Peter’s failings. “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men and women.”

How mysterious this must have sounded to Peter and to James and John! But it was powerful and prophetic because “they left everything and followed him.”

Did they do so perfectly? Absolutely not, and especially not Simon Peter. One moment the Lord is handing him the keys to the kingdom and the next he is telling him “Get behind me, Satan.” So what sort of rock is it upon which Jesus built his church? A flawed one beyond any doubt. And that’s where our hope lies as well as our calling, not unlike Paul’s who was also flawed.

Yet we know that Peter and Paul enjoy the company of the Lord Jesus eternally in heaven. If they can get there, maybe we can too! The Scriptures, the Church, and the saints give us a roadmap, and the Lord gives us the grace to follow it.


Siempre adelante,


Dominic MacAller
​Worship Minister 

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