Our Liturgical readings today provide us with the examples of three men who, acknowledging their sinfulness and unworthiness, left all to follow the call of God: Isaiah, and 700 or so years later, answering the call of Jesus, Peter and Paul. Isaiah claims to be "a man of unclean lips, living among men a people of unclean lips".... (Is 6: 3). Peter protests: "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." (Lk 5:8). Paul protests, "For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God." (1 Cor 15: 9). The amazing thing to note is that God, while hearing these excuses overcomes them, symbolically with a burning coal to cleanse Isaiah's unclean lips; with Peter, an astonishing catch of fish; and with Paul, simply grace: "By the grace of God I am what I am and his grace in me has not been ineffective." (1 Cor 15: 10).
God continues to call, we foolishly continue to look for, or find, or make up excuses. God is simply asking all of us to live out the gift we have received in baptism; for some, the call goes deeper: to leave all, as Peter and his companions did, and follow Jesus directly in mission as consecrated religious or priests. If we try to resist, we will find the call more intense, more irresistible. This is a perfect mediation for us on this Sunday before Lent to focus on what God is calling us to do, and to use the time and grace of Lent to answer the call with willing and generous hearts as did Isaiah, Peter and Paul.
Bro. Rene
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