Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, C
Isaiah 6: 1-2a, 3-8
Ps. 138
I Corinthians 15: 1-11
Luke 5: 1-11
Today the readings are chosen because of their account of divine calls. In the First Reading, the prophet Isaiah has a vision of God in heaven. Isaiah’s response to the vision is a sense of complete unworthiness; in the context of that self-realization, God issues His call, and Isaiah responds. The Responsorial Psalm responds to the vision that Isaiah had of the seraphim by singing, “In the sight of the angels I will sing Your praises, Lord.” In the Gospel, Jesus has an encounter with Simon the fisherman. Despite having fished all night and caught nothing, Simon responds to Jesus’ command and catches an immense number of fish. On seeing this, Simon says to Jesus, “Leave me, Lord, I am a sinful man!” Jesus then summons him to new work by saying, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will be catching men.”
Today’s Second Reading continues our examination of I Corinthians. In an unusual convergence of thematic material, Paul too is talking about being called by God. His call is to preach the Good News:
“that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, rose on the third day, …seen by Cephas and then by the Twelve…and lastly seen by me, as one born out of the normal course.” Paul emphasizes God’s forgiveness and grace—like Isaiah and Peter, he was aware of not being worthy to do this work. And so it is with us as well!
This hymn is based on today’s Scriptures:
Deep in prayer Isaiah visioned
God the Lord enthroned on high;
Feeling judged and all unworthy,
Bent his head and hid his eye;
Then, renewed by God's forgiveness,
Stood and answered "Here am I."
In a boat prepared for travel,
Peter met the living Word
And, advised to fish on boldly,
Trusted the advice he heard;
Awed by pow'r and scared by falling,
Peter sought to leave the Lord.
Focused in on self and sinning,
Each of us blocks out the light.
Freed by death and resurrection
Of Christ Jesus, we have sight,
And the summons of the Gospel
Bids us all proclaim its might.
87.87.87
suggested tune: Picardy
Introit: Venite adoremus Deum (Ps. 95:6,7,1)
Come, let us worship God and bow down before the Lord.
Let us shed tears before the Lord who made us,
for he is the Lord our God.
Come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise unto God our Savior.
Offertory: Perfice gressos meos (Ps. 17:5-7)
Make firm my footsteps in your paths, so that my feet do not slip;
incline your ear and hear my words;
display your wonderful mercies, O Lord,
O Savior of those who place their hope in you.
Communion: Multitudo languentium (Lk 6:17-19) MYM#4
(matches Gospel for Year B)
A multitude with diseases and those who were troubled by unclean spirits
came to him, because a power went forth from him which healed them all.
Entrance: BFW 38 (O come, let us worship him . . .)
Response: Alleluia psalm BFW 268,
made into an alleluia psalm by using the alleluia
from BFW 224, or BFW 284
Communion: BFW 645, 646, or 647 (Taste and see . . . or Alleluia, . . .)