An Encounter with God

 Reflection on Today's Readings, 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C, February 6th, 2022
Texts: Isaiah 6:1-2a.3-8; Ps. 138:1-5,7c-8; 1Cor. 15:1 - 11; Luke 5:1- 11
Encounter with God cuts across today's readings. The readings show that an encounter with God brings about knowledge of self, transformation and sense of mission. Today's first reading tells us about the encounter of Isaiah with God. He beheld God in His glory, majesty and holiness. When he encountered God he realised his sinfulness and he said, "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" The same thing also happened to St. Peter in today's gospel reading; when he witnessed the wonder of God, he confessed his sinfulness. He said, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Just as prophet Isaiah and St. Peter encountered God not in the same way, so also we might have encountered God in different ways. We all have our own different stories to tell. For some it was when they got healed from terminal illness. For some when they had narrow escape from death. For some when a lost hope was restored. For some they just suddenly realised the emptiness in this world. God chooses to encounter us in a way that we will understand.
The ordinary way in which God do encounter us is through His word. We do encounter God in His words. When we read and meditate on the words of God, we come to realise our sinfulness and weakness. The word of God has the capacity to discern the soul: "Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account (Heb. 4:12-13).
The awareness of sin when we encounter God does not bring about despair. An encounter with God comes with the awareness of the mercy of God. It is the awareness of God's mercy that rescues us from despair. Prophet Isaiah witnessed the mercy of God when he was cleansed of his sins. It is said, "Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having in his hand a burning coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth, and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven.'" Just as prophet Isaiah was cleansed of his sin, so also the the words of God cleanse us of our sins. It is said thus: "You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you" (John 15:3).
It is the mercy of God that remakes us and turns us into vessels for God. In the case of prophet Isaiah it is said, "And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.'" For St. Peter, it is said, "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." By their encounter, prophet Isaiah and Peter became vessels for God. Just as encounter with God recreates and remoulds one into a vessel for God, so also the words of God do. The encounter brought prophet Isaiah and St. Peter face to face with God. Just as the encounter of prophet Isaiah and Peter brought them face to face with God, so also the words of God bring us face to face with God.  

Lord our God, we thank You for Your words, help us to embrace Your  words with open hearts. Amen

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke