Pastor's Letter

Who Me?

The readings today give us some insight into three people who God chose to help bring his words into the world.  What’s interesting about these three people, and what’s important to us, is that these three admit they’d be the last person they thought God would ever choose! 
 
In the first reading, we hear how God approached Isaiah—through an incredible vision of God’s glory in heaven.  God chose Isaiah to be his prophet, the spokesperson of God’s word, but we discover today he was a hesitant one.
 
Isaiah told God he’s not a great choice because he had to admit, he had “unclean lips.”  No one is quite certain what that is, but knowing that, as humans, we’re very capable of saying mean-spirited things, or spreading gossip, or swearing, or even spreading rumors that could tarnish someone’s reputation, we could probably understand Isaiah’s objection.
 

Welcome Fr. Peter Fernandes! As I mentioned last weekend, our parish received the news that Fr. Peter Fernandes is here to join us for the next six months as a parish priest.    Click here to learn more about him.  This weekend, he’ll preside at the 4:30 PM Saturday Mass.    Welcome, Fr. Peter!  We’re glad you’re here.

The thing is, God took care of Isaiah’s uncertainty.  In the vision, he purified Isaiah’s lips so that Isaiah would be able to speak without guilt.  In other words, God forgave him.  What God saw in Isaiah was a person he knew could do his work in the world.  God saw his potential, and it moved Isaiah from hesitation to confidently say, “Here I am, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)
 
In the second reading, it’s Paul who’s surprised that God chose him to bring the word to the gentiles.  Paul readily admits, “I’m the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”  But then we hear Paul’s incredible statement that gives all of us hope, “But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective.” (See 1 Cor 15:1-11)  Jesus forgave Paul and freed him to do his work in the world, and Paul absolutely did.  God gives us what we need to succeed, especially when we’re doing what he hopes we’ll do.
 
In the gospel, it’s Peter who’s dumbfounded that Jesus would be so generous to him. In the wake of Jesus’ gift of filling up two boats of fish after a “fishless” night, Peter could only tell Jesus not to bother with him.  He felt he didn’t deserve Jesus’ kindness.  But Jesus doesn’t listen to that kind of thinking.  Instead, Jesus told Peter not to be afraid.  Through him he would transform him so that he would discover his potential. God knew Peter had what it took, “warts and all,” to be effective.
 
And that’s what we all need to know about God.  Jesus told us that he chose us, we didn’t choose him. (see John 15:16)  It’s God who sees our soul.  He sees what human beings can’t often see—the potential within us.  So, in those times when we don’t feel worthy of God’s grace, God is telling us we are worthy.
 
Maybe we think we’d be the last one God would choose.  But God says, “Yes, it’s you I want and need!”  God gives us a future full of hope and life.  And when we surrender to it, the response that comes from within is simply to say, “Here I am, God.  Send me.”   May God bless you, precisely because you are who you are.  

--Fr. Mike