Where am I?

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
February 4, 2007 Isaiah 6:1-8, (9-13) Psalm 138 I Corinthians 15:1-11 Luke 5:1-11
Where is Jesus in what I have been doing this week?
There is an important point to get here in this story that we often don't seem to connect with.
So blinded are we by a miracle story that we may miss the more obvious point
that Jesus is with us in our ordinary endeavours such as our work.
And this is the rich experience of our encounter with Jesus
that he is there with us in the reality of our day to day life
That his presence is transforming for us
if we only but give ourserlves to the presence of Jesus
already with us.

As we peel away the layers of this story
what wows the disciples who encounter Jesus
is that as they went about doing what they normally did
listening to him
and being obedient
their ordinary work is transformed

They had no doubt caught lots of fish before
and no doubt had to deal with days when things had not gone well.
We know that
because everyone's life is like that.
What I suggest we are being invited to see here is not a quick way to improve your average fishing catch
but rather that our daily labour is transformed when we draw it into the circle of Jesus's life.

Some days it will mean that things seem to go better,
even look rather miraculous.
Other days it will mean we will deal with all the rubbish that is thrown at us
and the bad feeling that we have.

We know this to be the case
when our life and the life of Christ are drawn into the same ambit
then things are rather different.

This is why praying is so important
not so much in that it increases the dividends
but rather that it transforms our experience
and that we see in life's ordinariness
possibilities, opportunities
hope and joy
that maybe we don't always fully experience.

This week
Can we open each situation we enter into with spirit of prayer?
Can we look back at what has taken place and give thanks to God for it?
Can we see the invitation that Christ puts before us
to view it differently
to respond better
to be men and women of faith.

There is already ther
an abundance of expereince and hope to grow in Christ
and for Christ to grow in us.