Dear all,
Yesterday’s gospel reading (Luke 5:1 – 11) relates to the call of Simon Peter by Christ. Peter, the professional fisherman, had caught nothing the preceding night and was washing his nets in preparation for the coming evening. He would have been tired, despondent, hungry an angry that he had not put food on the family’s table. Above all, his professionalism had been found wanting. Yet, here, he is confronted by a carpenter’s son and told what to do.
I just wonder how anyone of us who is a professional or master of their craft, would have taken to the advice of an amateur as to how to carry out their tasks – especially in the state of mind that Peter would have been. Yet he says that I will do this at your word and, wonder of wonders, they catch such a number of fish that their nets began to break and that they fill both boats that had been empty all night with such number of fish that they began to sink.
No wonder Peter fell to his knees saying: “depart from me oh Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” In that one instant Peter showed great insight into the human condition. He recognised that he was in the presence of goodness. He felt a sense of divine for nature seem to be at the Lord’s command. Above all he felt a sense of unworthiness and humility. Whereas he had caught such a number of fish that would have provided him and his family with a living, he did not focus on what this meant to himself but rather on his inadequacies. How many of us in the times of our greatest triumphs think of our weaknesses?
Peter is correct when he calls himself a sinful man – indeed, we are all sinful. Christ chose Peter as his disciple upon which to build his church. He tells him that henceforth he will be catching not fish but men. Would Peter have understood? It is highly doubtful that he would, given the depictions of him in the Gospels. But that does not stop him from immediately leaving everything and following him.
Raffle Tickets
I’ve begun to distribute the tickets to our major fundraising event for 2017 namely our raffle. Tickets are $10 each and they are printed in books of 10. The first prize is value at $4550, second prize at $900 and the third prize at $420. Ticket sales are promising but (as my school report cards invariably said: could do better!)… Let us all join together to make this project a great success. So, if I come calling upon you in the next week or so – remember I’m not raising funds for myself but for the church, so… Not only be gentle but be kind to me as well.
Programme for this Week
Tuesday the 26 September
7:30 AM to 9:30 AM – Matins and Divine Liturgy
Wednesday 27th September
6 PM to 7 PM – Catechism and Renewal Class
7 PM to 8 PM – Adult Bible Study
Saturday 30th September
9 AM to 10:15 AM – Divine Liturgy in English
Sunday 1st October
8 AM to 11 AM – Matins and Divine Liturgy
Do not forget next Sunday loukoumades and the blessing of the lesser sanctification of the waters.
Thought for the week on this rain sodden Monday
There is a right and a wrong way to chastise, rebuke and correct your neighbour… Let our words for like gentle rain so that they may nourish whilst they correct the failings in our brother. Just as Jesus overlooked the shortcomings of Peter we also should overlook the shortcomings in our brothers. After all, were we being criticised we would want no less for ourselves.
Till next time.
In Christ.
Father John Athanasiou – 0411 061 554
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