But at your word I will let down the nets

 

We connect with God’s grace by being obedient to His word.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Thursday of 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, September 7th, 2023 Texts: Colossians 1:9-14; Psalm 98:2-6; Luke 5:1-11 

                           But at your word I will let down the nets

We in today’s first reading the prayer of St. Paul for the people of Colossae. The people’s love in the Spirit inspired him to pray for them. He shows that what is good also needs prayer. Both bad and good need prayer; everyone needs prayer. We need prayer to remain good and to change from bad to good. Hence, if I remain good it is God’s work; if I change from bad to good it is also God’s work. We owe everything to God’s grace in us. Hence, he prayed to God to strengthen them in all power for endurance and patience with joy and thanksgiving. 

Being bad or evil is a disconnection from God’s grace in us. God’s grace is ever present in us, it is left for us to connect with it. We should always respond to God’s grace in us to be fruitful. 

But at your word I will let down the nets

We connect with God’s grace by being obedient to His word. This is clear in today’s gospel reading; the story of Peter changed when he obeyed the word of Jesus. We read, “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”. Peter connected with God’s grace by his obedience to the word of Jesus.  

What St. Paul prayed for in today’s first reading are products of obedience to God’s word. With obedience to God’s word, we know God’s will in all wisdom and understanding, lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Therefore, Let us be obedient to God’s word, that we may be fruitful and never labour in vain.  

Prayer  

God our Father, fill us with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to lead a life worthy of You, fully pleasing to You, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in Your knowledge; strengthen us with all power, according to Your glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to You, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke