In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
For centuries the remnant of Israel had toiled through the night. They had returned from the captivity of Babylon and rebuilt the Temple, they had fought wars and made alliances and yet still they were under foreign oppression.
Because you did not serve the Lᴏʀᴅ your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything,
therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lᴏʀᴅ will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you.
The Lᴏʀᴅ will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand,
a nation of fierce countenance, which does not respect the elderly nor show favour to the young.
— Deuteronomy 28:47–50
Yet God has not abandoned his people whom he loves but has sent salvation into the world. He has appeared not as an angel, nor in the form of a man, but has himself taken on flesh that he might destroy his enemies and unite us to himself by his death and Resurrection.
“Master,” we, the people of God cry out, “we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word we will let down the nets.” And, indeed, at the appearance of the Word of God, the nets have been cast out and we are invited to new Life in him.
Notice, too, that in Christ the Roman Empire was not undone, for centuries more its power remained. But in Christ, the Christians were able to be the leaven to raise the entire Empire that all the more were able to come to the Lord, that the society became no longer ruled by the cult of Jupiter but even the emperor himself received baptism in Christ.
This, too, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, is our calling. Like the household of Stephanas in Achaia, we too must devote ourselves to the service of the saints, we must be the leaven to our society that all the more may rise, come to the Lord and be freed from captivity to idolatry, sin and death. We will feel our own iniquity, feel our own hypocrisy, and we will want to cry out along with the Apostle Peter, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
The Lord will reply to us, “Do not be afraid.” He does not say, “I will take away all your trials, all your tribulations, all your testings:” rather, “Do not be afraid.” “Do not be afraid, for I will fill you with the Spirit. Do not be afraid, for I will honour even the smallest sacrifice for the sake of the Kingdom. Do not be afraid, for I will be with you all the days, even to the close of the Age. Amen.”
May this be. May we work together for the sake of the Kingdom, may we repent together that we be purified, may we be the leaven for our society which is in need of freedom from all the Powers of this Age.
“If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.”
Brethren, be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. Now, brethren, you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints; I urge you to be subject to such men and to every fellow worker and laborer. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicos, because they have made up for your absence; for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men. The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. All the brethren send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
— First Corinthians 16:13–24
At that time, as Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he was astonished, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
— Luke 5:1–11